Spinosaurus Facts! A Dinosaur Facts video about Spinosaurus, the largest known carnivorous dinosaur

Описание: Learn facts about Spinosaurus, the Spine-Lizard. Spinosaurus is famous for the sail on its back. It lived during the Cretaceous period in North Africa.

Spinosaurus Facts & Info

Spinosaurus - belonging to the theropod dinosaur family - was the largest known carnivorous dinosaur to ever live. It was probably larger than both Tyrannosaurus Rex and Gigantosaurus. Spinosaurus means "spine lizard," referring to the long spines that formed something that probably looked like a sail on its back.

Spinosaurus lived in what is now called North Africa during the Cretaceous period, 112 million to 97 million years ago.

The distinctive spines, which grew out of the animal's back, were up to 7 feet long and were likely connected to one another by skin. 

Because Recent fossil evidence shows that Spinosaurus was able to swim and likely spent most of its time in water, catching fish and hunting other sea living creatures.

Some of the reasons for theses conclusions are..

The long and slender snout with conical teeth was perfect for catching fish.

The wide and flat claws and feet were perfect for paddling.

It had short hind limbs just like early whales.

Spinosaurus was probably and opportunistic carnivore but it is easy to think that the favorite prey was large-sized fish that swam in the same waters. Spinosaurus probably had to compete for its prey with giant sharks and enormous crocodile creatures like the Sarcosuchus.

The function of Spinosaurus sail is a continuing mystery but it might has been used as…

A trigger in mating rituals, where the animal with the more prominent sail gets favored by females.

…Or as a radiator, to regulate Spinosaurus body temperature, collecting warmth from the sun and dispersing excess body heat when in the shade.

It could also have acted as a balancing mechanism when swimming, like a modern day shark, orca or sailfish.

Two Spinosaurus species have been named based on the regions where they were discovered: 

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus “Egyptian spine lizard” - which was discovered in 1912 - and the Spinosaurus maroccanus “Moroccan spine lizard” - discovered in 1996.

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