FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 24, 2025
Cincinnati Museum Center dinosaur at center of new research
30-foot tyrannosaur Daspletosaurus challenges the evolution and family tree of Cretaceous predator
CINCINNATI - Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) is helping piece together a 75-million-year-old puzzle. Newly published research calls into question the evolution of Daspletosaurus, a Cretaceous tyrannosaur, and the makeup of its family tree. CMC’s Daspletosaurus specimen served as the key specimen in the research.
Daspletosaurus was a 30-foot-long bipedal dinosaur weighing up to three tons. Though smaller than its more famous relative Tyrannosaurus, Daspletosaurus was still a fierce predator, earning its name “frightful lizard” as it chased down prey on its two strong hind legs. It’s also a relatively rare fossil with fewer than 10 on display in museums worldwide. One of those is at CMC’s Dinosaur Hall. Cincinnati’s Daspletosaurus specimen once stalked the plains of prehistoric Montana but now looms large in the museum, dwarfing the buildings of downtown Cincinnati out the window behind it. 
“Daspletosaurus is an impressive specimen and an absolute showstopper for anyone visiting Cincinnati Museum Center, even before they enter the building,” said Glenn Storrs, PhD, Withrow Farny Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at Cincinnati Museum Center. “This new research proves these dinosaurs aren’t just cool to see in the gallery, they are vital to ongoing scientific research.”
Dr. Storrs was part of the research team who published the paper in Acta Paleontologica Polonica, an international quarterly journal published since 1956. The peer-reviewed paper used analysis of CMC’s Daspletosaurus skull bones to challenge the dinosaur’s family tree and the existence of three distinct species within the Daspletosaurus genus.
“Detailed analysis of the age and anatomy of our specimen cast doubt on the validity of one of the three known species and provides new insight into their potential relationships,” said Dr. Storrs, summarizing the research.
It was believed that Daspletosaurus contained three recognized species: torosus, horneri and wilsoni. However, the analysis suggests that Daspletosaurus wilsoni may not be distinct from Daspletosaurus torosus, meaning that Daspletosaurus horneri may have evolved directly from Daspletosaurus torosus – the family tree may be more of a straight line than branched.
“Popular interest in Tyrannosaurus rex is at an all-time high and recent discoveries of new tyrannosaur species have sparked a resurgence of interest in the evolutionary history of tyrannosaurine dinosaurs,” said Dr. Storrs. “Daspletosaurus is a close cousin, if not direct ancestor, of T. rex, but is a much rarer fossil. That makes each new Daspletosaurus discovery significant.”
Paleontologists are continuing to study the history and evolution of Daspletosaurus, with each new fossil adding another piece to the puzzle.
“Cranial anatomy and stratigraphy of a new specimen of the tyrannosaurine dinosaur Daspletosaurus from the Judith River Formation of Central Montana, USA” was authored by Ethan Warner-Cowgill, Glenn W. Storrs, Raymond R. Rogers and Anthony E. Maltese. The full research paper is available online at Acta Paleontologica Polonica.
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About Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized, award-winning institution housed in a National Historic Landmark. CMC is a vital community resource that sparks curiosity, inspiration, epiphany and dialogue. CMC was awarded the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2012, one of a select few museums in the nation to receive both honors. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, The Children’s Museum, Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater, Cincinnati History Library and Archives and the Geier Collections and Research Center. Housed in historic Union Terminal – a National Historic Landmark restored in 2018 and recognized as the nation’s 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects – CMC welcomes more than 1.8 million visits annually, making it one of the most visited museums in the country. For more information, visit cincymuseum.org.