Bipedal dinosaurs - those that walked on two legs - were common throughout the Mesozoic Era. In fact, the first dinosaurs all walked on two legs, and it was only during the Jurassic period that many evolved to walk on four legs. Some of the best known dinosaurs were bipedal - let’s take a look at seven of the most famous ones.
 

1. Tyrannosaurus rex

Tyrannosaurus rex is undoubtedly the most famous meat-eating dinosaur, known for its impressive size and razor-sharp teeth. This 12-13 metre-long carnivore had 50-60 banana-sized teeth and had the most powerful bite of any land-dwelling creature ever known. It also had excellent eyesight and a superb sense of smell. 
 

2. Allosaurus

Almost as well-known, the Allosaurus lived long before T.rex, in the Jurassic age. It was one of the top predators of its time, with 70 sharp, curved teeth and longer, stronger forelimbs than later theropods like T. rex. It fed on herbivores like Stegosaurus, and probably scavenged the remains of large sauropods too. 
 

3. Megalosaurus

Megalosaurus was one of the first dinosaurs ever found and named. It’s a poorly understood dinosaur, belonging to the middle Jurassic period when sea levels were high and the conditions were less favourable for forming fossils. However, it’s thought to have been 6-9 metres long and, like Allosaurus, to have fed on large herbivores. 

4. Velociraptor

Unlike the fearsome predators in Jurassic Park, true Velociraptors were turkey-sized and covered in feathers. They ate small lizards, mammals, amphibians, and even baby dinosaurs, using the long, sickle-shaped claw on their feet to pin down prey. Velociraptor could run in short bursts of up to 25 mph, making it one of the quicker predators of the Late Cretaceous. 
 

5. Deinonychus

Deinonychus is the dinosaur on which the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park were based. This Early Cretaceous theropod was about 3.4 metres long, weighed around 100kg, and although no evidence of feathers has been found on fossils, scientists believe it probably had them. Deinonychus was the dinosaur that inspired the theory that modern birds descended from theropods. 

6. Giganotosaurus

Giganotosaurus walked the Earth some 30 million years before T.rex, and was probably larger. Living in what is now Argentina, it was almost certainly the apex predator in its environment and had a large head and powerful bite. It was discovered in 1993 and its name means ‘giant southern lizard’. 
 

7. Therizinosaurus

Another star of the Jurassic Park franchise, Therizinosaurus’ name means ‘scythe lizard’. Its three-fingered hands had huge scythe-like claws, thought to be the longest of any land animal that has ever lived. Unlike many other theropods, it is believed to have been a plant-eater, using its long claws to pull vegetation towards it. 

Meet some bipedal dinosaurs at a theatre near you

Dinosaur World Live is an award-winning dinosaur family show that introduces you to several fascinating prehistoric creatures, including T. rex and the less well-known theropod, Segnosaurus. Aimed at kids aged three and up, it uses stunning puppetry to bring these giants to life, making it one of the best dinosaur attractions in the UK. The show is on tour across the UK and Ireland in October 2026 - book your tickets today to join the adventure.