You’re swimming in a winding river of the Sahara in the Cretaceous period, when you see a large sail come up out of the water…It’s a Spinosaurus fishing in the water!
Originally thought to be a land carnivore like the T. Rex, recent looks at the Spinosaurus have scientists speculating that it was actually a primarily aquatic predator similar to the modern crocodile.
Spinosaurus was a massive predator, called a theropod. It had a crocodile-like skull and a giant sail on its back, more than 6 feet high.
Spinosaurus Basic Information
Here are some quick facts about Spinosaurus:
Spinosaurus Quick Facts
How Was It Discovered?
Originally discovered by Ernst Stromer and Richard Markgraf in 1912. The first Spinosaurus found was merely a partial skeleton, including its lower teeth and jaw, parts of its spine vertebrae, and tail, and some of its long spines.
These original fossils were unfortunately lost and destroyed during World War II during the bombing of Munich.
Despite the loss of the fossils, we do still have the publications with pictures of the original fossils. Stromer even made a scale of what he thought Spinosaurus looked like.
Where Did Spinosaurus Live?
The Spinosaurus lived in the Sahara region, covering North Africa up to Egypt. At the time when Spinosaurus was alive, this region had a large river system, and it is speculated that they spent much time in it.
Their fossils have been found in:
- Egypt
- North Africa
- Niger
This landmass had an ecosystem and biome that was much different from the dry Sahara we know today. The area was crawling with predatory carnivorous dinosaurs; there were far fewer herbivores found in the Sahara River area during the Cretaceous period.
What Did Spinosaurus Eat?
The Spinosaurus was a largely aquatic animal. Being a meat-eater, it would have eaten whatever meat it could find, namely fish and smaller dinosaurs.
- Onchopristis
- Mawsonia
- Fish
- Other dinosaurs
- Scraps and carcasses
Spinosaurus Skull, Teeth, and Sail
With a long, narrow crocodilian skull and straight conical teeth, this menacing dinosaur would have been a terrifying sight floating in the river. Its skull would measure between 5 and 6 feet (around 2 meters) in length.
Spinosaurus had a narrow nose and a notch at the front of its jaws. Its mouth is full of conical teeth that interlock, similar to crocodiles.
The most notable feature of the Spinosaurus that sets it apart from other carnivores was its large sail on its back, comprised of large, spiky bones that were connected by webbing.
How Big Was It?
Spinosaurus was one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs ever.
Similar to the T. Rex, Spinosaurus walked on its two hind legs and had two shorter front limbs, and a long tail for balance. Not to mention its defining six-foot-high sail on its back.
Spinosaurus was massive:
- 46-50 feet (14-16 meters) long
- 16-21 feet (5-6 meters) tall
- Weighed 8-9 tons
It was originally thought that Spinosaurus would have stood on its hind legs and walked around with shorter forearms like the T. Rex.
Spinosaurus Senses
Eyesight: While the spinosaurus was a predator and had binocular vision, it is thought that it had limited vision good enough to allow it to catch fish underwater.
Smell: The spinosaurus had nostrils, which indicated a great reliance on its sense of smell, which explains its limited eyesight.
Hearing: Early spinosaurs had slightly elongated inner ears, which allowed them to be very specialized for hearing lower frequencies. While later spinosaurs had evolved to hear higher pitches, indicating an adaptation for their aquatic environment.
Was Spinosaurus the Biggest Predator?
There is much debate around the largest predator, and for some time, people thought Spinosaurus was even bigger than T. Rex.
Other Giant predators are:
- Giganotosaurus
- Carcharodontosaurus
- Tyranosaurus Rex
However, studies in 2014 suggest that Spinosaurus was actually smaller than we originally thought, thus Tyrannosaurus Rex was likely the most massive and strongest predator of all.
The Dinosaur Family Tree
Grouped by hip structure, body type, and what they eat, this dinosaur belonged to the same family tree as most meat-eaters. Spinosaurus was a theropod in the Spinosauridae family.
Other dinosaurs in this family include:
- Baryonyx walkeri
- Suchomimus tenerensis
- Irritator challengeri
Most Spinosauridae aren’t anywhere close to as famous as the Spinosaurus. But many other Theropods, such as Velociraptor and the T. rex, are very well known.
Name Meaning
Where does the name Spinosaurus come from? Its full name is Spinosaurus Aegyptiacus, pronounced spy-nuh-SAWR-uhs ae-gyp-tia-kus.
- Spinosaurus – Spine lizard
- Aegyptiacus – from Egypt
So the full meaning is roughly “Egyptian Spine Lizard.”
Named fittingly for its long back spine, having been found originally in Egypt.
Additional Facts
- 6-foot Sail: The Spinosaurus had a massive sail, which would have stuck out of the water while it hunted. It is speculated that the sail was for regulating body temperature, similar to the plates of a stegosaurus. It is thought to have stood in shade and pumped blood through its sail when it overheated.
- Largest Carnivore: Despite the Tyrannosaurus rex being considered the king of Dinosaurs, the Spinosaurus was larger than the Tyrannosaurus rex. Spinosaurus is actually the largest carnivorous dinosaur we’ve discovered to date. Though it was dwarfed by herbivore dinosaurs.
- Lost To War: The original remains of Spinosaurus and other dinosaurs found in Egypt were unfortunately destroyed during bombings in World War II. Despite this loss, there were detailed descriptions and notes of the materials he discovered. Thankfully, there have been new discoveries of Spinosaurus since then, including one displayed in the Field Museum in Chicago.
Questions to Explore
Scientists are still learning about Spinosaurus today.
New fossils help researchers answer questions like:
- How fast could it run?
- Did it hunt alone or in groups?
- What color was its skin?
- Could it swim?
- What was its sail used for?
Each discovery helps us understand a little more about the world of dinosaurs.