Spinosaurus

Spinosaurus lived in Africa 105 to 93 million years ago, in the Early Cretaceous.

Fact File

Length: 18 metres (?)

Height:

Weight: 7 to 9 tonnes (?)

Diet: Piscivorous

Hunting

Spinosaurus would have hunted fish, like Baryonyx. Its long, crocodile-like jaws with cone-shaped teeth were ideal for grappling with slippery fish. Also, its nostrils were positioned further back than normal, so it could put its mouth in water and still breathe. Spinosaurus was also capable of killing land dinosaurs as well.

WWII

Spinosaurus remains were first discovered in Egypt by German palaeontologist Ernst Stromer. These remains, unfortunately, were destroyed by bombing in World War II. Little has been found since then, apart from some skull remains, so Spinosaurus remains quite a mystery.

The sail

Spinosaurus had one distinguishing feature - the sail that ran along its back. It is supported by bony spines rising from the backbone, some of which are two metres high. These spines were covered with a layer of skin, but the use of the sail is unknown. It may have a similar use to Stegosaurus' plates - controlling temperature, or maybe it would have changed colour, and be used for display.

Popular Culture

Spinosaurus, as depicted in Jurassic Park III

Spinosaurus is the main predator in the 2001 film, Jurassic Park III. It is a good swimmer, and is seen killing a T-rex. It was also seen eating people and dinosaurs, instead of fish. Spinosaurus was also featured in merchandise related to the Jurassic Park films, including action figures and video games. In documentaries such as the "Biggest Killer Dino" episode of Monsters Resurrected a Spinosaurus was featured.