Newly discovered 40-feet dinosaur lived on fish
What's the story
Paleontologists have unearthed a new species of dinosaur, a large fish-eating predator that first appeared over 140 million years ago. The newly identified species, dubbed Spinosaurus mirabilis, was as long as a school bus and lived in marshy areas. It hunted for fish and sported an impressive horn protruding from its skull. The discovery was made by an international team of scientists led by paleontologists from the University of Chicago.
Historical context
Spinosaurus mirabilis lived about 95 million years ago
The authors of the study, published in the journal Science, estimate that Spinosaurus mirabilis lived about 95 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. It inhabited a marshy inland region of what is now central Sahara. Lead author Paul Sereno compared these dinosaurs to herons, which also hunt fish in shallow waters and have bodies adapted for semi-aquatic living.
Distinctive traits
Speculation about the dinosaur's horn
The most striking physical difference between the newly discovered species and its previously known relatives is a foot-long curved horn that protrudes from its skull. The authors speculate that this crest may have been brightly colored, based on fossil texture, and could have been used to attract or communicate with other members of the species. The team first discovered one of these important crest fossils during a scientific expedition in 2019.
Ecological niche
How did the dinosaur hunt for fish?
Sereno said he suspects that this animal was fishing largely in about three feet of water, although it was large enough to stand in about six feet of water without floating. "There were many large fish in the rivers of its day," Sereno said, including some that measured nine feet or more in length—good eating for a large predator.
Swimming skills
How aquatic were these dinosaurs?
The discovery of Spinosaurus mirabilis complicates the understanding of how aquatic these massive animals really were. Unlike a previously identified species of Spinosaurus that was thought to be a powerful swimmer, this new find suggests it may have thrived in relatively shallow waters. "Like blue herons, we imagine it to be a poor swimmer that never dives for its meals," Sereno said.