Illustration of a T. rex bellowing with its mouth shut.

T. rex had lips, upending its enduring pop culture image

Whether carnivorous dinosaurs had lips has long been the stuff of paleo-debate. A new study finds evidence that flesh covered the predators’ teeth.

Tyrannosaurus rex and other carnivorous dinosaurs likely had soft tissue that covered their sharp teeth, as seen in this illustration. Lips would have kept their teeth moist and protected—and ready to attack prey.
Illustration by Mark P. Witton
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