A New T. rex? Not the One You're Thinking Of.

When you hear T. rex, you probably think of Tyrannosaurus rex. But paleontologists have recently introduced another "T. rex"—Tylosaurus rex, a newly described species of giant marine reptile that ruled the ancient sea covering Texas nearly 80 million years ago.

The discovery, based primarily on fossils from North Texas, is a reminder that our state was once home to some of the ocean's most formidable predators. While the Mayborn Museum's Tylosaurus specimen was not part of the research, we've brought it out from our collections for a special display this summer, giving visitors a chance to see a piece of Texas's prehistoric past.

Want to learn more about these incredible marine reptiles? Don't miss Sea Monsters Unearthed, where you can come face-to-face with a towering 23-foot mosasaur skeleton and discover the ancient predators that once dominated Earth's oceans. The exhibition is only at the Mayborn through August 30.