Temporal range: Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian), 100–94 Ma
PreꞒ
Ꞓ
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Reconstructed skeleton based on specimen FSAC-KK-11888 in swimming posture, Field Museum of Natural History
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Clade:
Dinosauria
Clade:
Saurischia
Clade:
Theropoda
Family:
†Spinosauridae
Tribe:
†Spinosaurini
Genus:
†Spinosaurus Stromer, 1915
Type species
†Spinosaurus aegyptiacus
Stromer, 1915
Synonyms
?Spinosaurus maroccanus Russell, 1996
?Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis Russell, 1996
?Oxalaia quilombensis Kellner et al., 2011[1]
Spinosaurus (/ˌspaɪnəˈsɔːrəs/; lit.'spine lizard') is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in what now is North Africa during the Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, about 100 to 94 million years ago.[2] The genus was known first from Egyptian remains discovered in 1912 and described by German palaeontologist Ernst Stromer in 1915. The original remains were destroyed in World War II, but additional material came to light in the early 21st century. It is unclear whether one or two species are represented in the fossils reported in the scientific literature. The best known species is S. aegyptiacus from Egypt, although a potential second species, S. maroccanus, has been recovered from Morocco. The contemporary spinosaurid genus Sigilmassasaurus has also been synonymized by some authors with S. aegyptiacus, though other researchers propose it to be a distinct taxon. Another possible junior synonym is Oxalaia from the Alcântara Formation in Brazil.
Spinosaurus is the longest known terrestrial carnivore; other large carnivores comparable to Spinosaurus include theropods such as Tyrannosaurus, Giganotosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus. The most recent study suggests that previous body size estimates are overestimated, and that S. aegyptiacus reached 14 metres (46 ft) in length and 7.4 metric tons (8.2 short tons) in body mass.[3] The skull of Spinosaurus was long, low, and narrow, similar to that of a modern crocodilian, and bore straight conical teeth with no serrations. It would have had large, robust forelimbs bearing three-fingered hands, with an enlarged claw on the first digit. The distinctive neural spines of Spinosaurus, which were long extensions of the vertebrae (or backbones), grew to at least 1.65 meters (5.4 ft) long and were likely to have had skin connecting them, forming a sail-like structure, although some authors have suggested that the spines were covered in fat and formed a hump.[4] The hip bones of Spinosaurus were reduced, and the legs were very short in proportion to the body. Its long and narrow tail was deepened by tall, thin neural spines and elongated chevrons, forming a flexible fin or paddle-like structure.
Spinosaurus is known to have eaten fish, and most scientists believe that it hunted both terrestrial and aquatic prey. Evidence suggests that it was semiaquatic; how capable it was of swimming has been strongly contested. Spinosaurus's leg bones had osteosclerosis (high bone density), allowing for better buoyancy control. Multiple functions have been put forward for the dorsal sail, including thermoregulation and display; either to intimidate rivals or attract mates. It lived in a humid environment of tidal flats and mangrove forests alongside many other dinosaurs, as well as fish, crocodylomorphs, lizards, turtles, pterosaurs, and plesiosaurs.
^Cite error: The named reference Symthetal2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Augustin, F.J.; Hartung, J.; Kampouridis, P. (2023). "Dinosaur Faunas of Egypt—The Terrestrial Late Cretaceous Vertebrate Record". In Hamimi, Z.; Khozyem, H.; Adatte, T.; Nader, Fadi H.; Oboh-Ikuenobe, F.; Zobba, Mohamed K.; Atfy, Haytham El (eds.). The Phanerozoic Geology and Natural Resources of Egypt. Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation. Springer, Cham. pp. 253–284. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-95637-0_9. ISBN 978-3-030-95636-3.
^Cite error: The named reference Sereno_et_al_2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Molina-Pérez & Larramendi 2016. Récords y curiosidades de los dinosaurios Terópodos y otros dinosauromorfos, Larousse. Barcelona, Spain p. 259
Alcântara Formation in Brazil. Spinosaurus is the longest known terrestrial carnivore; other large carnivores comparable to Spinosaurus include theropods such...
related species Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, while others have classified it as a separate taxon, forming the clade Spinosaurini with Spinosaurus as its sister...
from Spinosaurus. Unlike most theropods—which walk on three toes, with the hallux (first toe) being reduced and elevated off the ground—Spinosaurus walked...
to go with his favorite carnivorous dinosaur: Spinosaurus, an animal larger than the T. rex. Spinosaurus had a distinctive sail on its back; Johnston said:...
revealed to be a Spinosaurus, emerges and devours Cooper. The aircraft hits the dinosaur and crashes into the trees. The Spinosaurus then attacks the...
Suchomimus, and MNHN SAM 124 (referred to Spinosaurus); MSNM V4047, another upper jaw specimen from Spinosaurus, had only six. It cannot be confirmed whether...
over its hips, lower and extending further to the back than that of Spinosaurus, in which the sail reached its highest peak over the dorsal vertebrae...
Discovery of Spinosaurus aegypticus: Saubhik Ghosh: EKDIN, 11 and 12 July 2011 (www.ekdin.org) Probst, Ernst: Der rätselhafte Spinosaurus. Leben und Werk...
Allosaurus fragilis or Passer domesticus. Members of the group include Spinosaurus, Megalosaurus, and Torvosaurus. They are possibly paraphyletic in nature...
maxilla, and from Spinosaurus due to its comparatively larger and more forwardly positioned nostril openings, which, unlike in Spinosaurus, are also formed...
dinosaurs have been described, including Spinosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, and Giganotosaurus. The original Spinosaurus specimens (as well as newer fossils...
remains of the enigmatic dinosaur Spinosaurus from the Cretaceous of Morocco and the affinities between Spinosaurus and Baryonyx". Neues Jahrbuch für...
including both species of Carcharodontosaurus as well as the spinosaurid Spinosaurus, the possible ceratosaur Deltadromeus, the large, dubious theropod Bahariasaurus...
Laganosuchus, as well as generalist predators, such as Baryonyx and Spinosaurus, found to have or assumed to have eaten fish. Baryonyx (an opportunistic...
dinosaur teeth, teeth of the theropod dinosaur Spinosaurus are especially common, likely resulting from Spinosaurus spending most of their time in the rivers...
In support of his "buffalo-back" hypothesis, Bailey argued that in Spinosaurus, Ouranosaurus, and other dinosaurs with long neural spines, the spines...
include a giant Ceratosaurus, raptorlike Carnotaurus, building-climbing Spinosaurus, and brutal Pteranodon. The final battle is on the Hollywood Sign, and...
largest animals to have ever existed. The largest carnivorous dinosaur was Spinosaurus, reaching a length of 12.6 to 18 meters (41 to 59 ft), and weighing 7...
Deinonychus, Thurston Troodon, Peng Protopteryx Michael Dobson as Old Spinosaurus Brian Drummond as Alvin Allosaurus, Apollo Apatosaurus, Albert Albanerpeton...
in 2004 as all taxa more closely related to Baryonyx walkeri than to Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. Baryonychines were large, bipedal predators with elongated...
Charlie, Delta and Echo, the Indominus rex, the Mosasaurus and the Spinosaurus from Jurassic Park III. Other notable dinosaurs that appear include Bumpy...
Jurassic-Cretaceous extinction left behind, such as Carcharodontosaurus and Spinosaurus.[citation needed] Seasons came back into effect and the poles got seasonally...
important Brazilian paleontological site, where fossils of animals such as Spinosaurus and Sigilmassasaurus were found, and also such plants as conifers and...
startled to find them landing on the ground, where they are stalked by a Spinosaurus, which destroys their plane. As they search for the Kirbys' son, the...
Cristiano Dal Sasso and colleagues described new skull material (a snout) of Spinosaurus (the original fossils of which were also destroyed during World War II)...
toylines, and video games. Amargosaurus - A hybrid of an Amargasaurus and a Spinosaurus. It appeared in the Jurassic Park: Chaos Effect toyline. Ankylodocus...