T. rex had smooth scales like modern lizards

Fossilized skin impressions from tyrannosaur specimens reveal complex texture including bumpy, tuberculate keels on some body regions. Recent evidence from related theropods suggests variable skin conditions with potential feathering on parts of the body. Baby tyrannosaurs likely had denser feathering that may have been reduced in adults. Rather than uniform scales, T. rex skin showed regional variation adapted for thermoregulation and display. This finding challenges the generic 'scaly reptile' mental model popularised by decades of artistic reconstruction.