It is known that the Tyrannosaurus rex was a meat eater and now researchers have revealed more about these extinct carnivores and their relatives.

The Daspletosaurus was a cannibal, according to reports from the April 9 report from the Telegraph and April 10 of the Independent. According to the researchers, a Daspletosaurus means 'frightful lizard’ and it inhabited North America about 75 million years ago.

The researchers said that it was slightly smaller that the Tyrannosaurus rex and was 10 million years older though. A skull of the Daspletosaurus was found by the researchers. This skull was closely examined and it was found that that it had suffered from various injuries.

“This animal clearly had a tough life suffering numerous injuries across the head, including some that must have been quite nasty”, said David Hone, a lecturer in ecology at Queen Mary University of London, which led the study.

The researchers also found that it was most likely inflicted by a member of its own species. It has been suggested that when the creature died it was consumed by another Daspletosaurus. According to the lead scientist, Dr. David Hone, it is believed that the animal had faced a tough life and when it died it was not fully developed.

As per the researchers, it measured around 19.7 feet and weighed a half ton. So, it appears that these ferocious meat eaters had consumed smaller prey and also their own relatives. Already, there are many theories on why the Daspletosaurus was killed. One theory shows that an alpha male killed the dinosaur most likely over food. The research was published in the online journal, PeerJ.