Spinosaurus Characteristics

Spinosaurus measured 49 - 57 feet (15 - 17 metres) in length, 16 - 20 feet (5 - 6) metres in height and weighed a massive 9 tons. It was the largest and most ferocious carnivore to ever walk the Earth, even larger than Tyrannosaurus Rex, but with a more slender body. The distinctive spines of Spinosaurus, which were long extensions of the vertebrae, grew to at least 5.5 feet (1.69 metres) in length and were likely to have had skin connecting them, forming a sail-like structure. The spines could have been used for many purposes including thermoregulation and display. Spinosaurus had a relatively flexible upper spine (these vertebrae had modified ball-and-socket-joints) so it could arch its back somewhat, perhaps being able to spread the sail (like opening the ribs of a fan).

Spinosaurus had an elongated head, razor sharp conical teeth in powerful jaws and raised nostrils. The very tip of its snout held a few large anterior teeth and was expanded, and a small crest was present in front of its eyes. Similar to other large theropods, Spinosaurus had 4 fingers on each hand and was a bipedal dinosaur who could run fast on 2 legs. It had powerful hind legs and small fore arms like most other theropods, however, it may have gone on all 4 limbs at sometimes.

Spinosaurus was a fierce carnivore and an opportunist predator. Spinosaurus was probably semi-aquatic and lived both in water and on land like a modern crocodilian. Fossils evidence suggests that Spinosaurus was fond of fish as fish skeletons have been found in its stomach along with bones from a juvenile Iguanodon. It also scavenged and ate many kinds of small to medium prey. A tooth embedded in a South American pterosaur bone suggests that Spinosaurs occasionally preyed on these flying archosaurs aswell.

The environment that Spinosaurs would have lived in is only partially understood and covers a great deal of what is now northern Africa. The Spinosaurus that lived in what is now Egypt, for example, may have contended with shoreline conditions on tidal flats and channels and tropical climate, living in mangrove forests alongside similarly large carnivorous predators Bahariasaurus and Carcharodontosaurus, giant titanosaur sauropod Paralititan and smaller titanosaur Aegyptosaurus. Spinosaurus was an advanced theropod, whose intelligence (as measured by its relative brain to body weight, or EQ) was high among the dinosaurs.

The first described remains of Spinosaurus were found in the Bahariya Valley of Egypt in 1912, and were named by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer in 1915. These original remains were destroyed in World War II, but additional skull material measuring 8 feet in length, has come to light in recent years.