The enormous sail
Elongated neural spines projected upward from the backbone, forming the framework of its famous sail.
A REAL DINOSAUR. A SUSPICIOUSLY FAMILIAR PERSONALITY.
SPINOSAURUS.
A highly specific individual.
Your interests have subcategories. You have strong opinions about something nobody else knew existed, and honestly, the commitment is impressive.
SIGNATURE MOVEBeginning a sentence with ‘It's actually more complicated than that.’
SPECIMEN 08 / LATE CRETACEOUS
SPINOSAURUS AEGYPTIACUS · CARNIVORE
SPINOSAURUS AEGYPTIACUS · CARNIVOREConnor Ashbridge · CC BY 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Meet the actual dinosaur THE ACTUAL SCIENCE STARTS HERE
Meet the real Spinosaurus.
The jokes are ours.
The animal was very real.
- WHEN
- 99–94 million years ago
- ON THE MENU
- Carnivore
- LENGTH
- About 14–15 m
- BODY MASS
- Several tonnes; disputed
A fish-catching snout
The long, narrow jaws and conical teeth are consistent with catching aquatic prey.
An unusual tail
Fossil tail bones describe a deep, fin-like outline unlike the tails of most large theropods.
War destroyed the original
The original Egyptian fossil material in Munich was destroyed during World War II.
New material, new pictures
Later discoveries in North Africa substantially changed reconstructions of its proportions and lifestyle.
A river-system predator
Its fossils occur in deposits associated with ancient waterways rich in fish and other vertebrates.
A little room for discovery.
How well Spinosaurus swam, how it moved on land, and whether it pursued prey underwater remain actively debated.
Read more: Spinosaurus on Wikipedia · Research and references. Facts are summarized in our own words. Size and date ranges are approximate; estimates vary by specimen and study. Gallery images may include other species within the genus.
A closer look.
Fossils, museum displays, and published reconstructions. Artwork shows an interpretation; it is not a photograph of a living dinosaur.
Is this your prehistoric alter ego?
Eight questions and an optional face scan will settle this. Very unofficially.