Spinosaurus became famous after it destroyed Tyrannosaurus Rex in Jurassic Park III but since its discovery in 1912, it has been a top contender for being the longest theropod of all time. Spinosaurus’ tall skin sail of bony blades was just one of its incredible features during its life in the Early Cretaceous. It’s nearly a century since its first fossil remains were found and now science has taught a lot more about this dinosaur and its true size. Here are the top 5 dinosaur facts about Spinosaurus.
Where it Lived – Present-day Africa
Habitat – Flood Plains
Size – 46-59 feet long
When it Lived – Middle Cretaceous Period, about 95 million years ago.
DINOSAUR FACT – SPINOSAURUS’ SIZE
It’s a subject under much debate. Spinosaurus was described by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer in 1915 to be around 46 feet long and weighing 7.4 tons. Future specimens were incomplete as well but were reported to be around the same range of size. However, the most recent Spinosaurus fossil discovery in 2005 had an enormous skull that measured six feet long. The dinosaur is known for its long narrow snout and six feet was over a foot longer than the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex skull in the world (which was 4’11 long). The specimen found was estimated to be 52-59 feet long, making it the longest theropod dinosaur that ever lived – even longer than T-Rex.
But due to the incomplete remains found so far and the fact that the skeletal framework of Spinosaurus was much different compared to its robust and heavier built “contenders” like Tyrannosaurus Rex, Giganotosaurus, and others, experts still disagree on which is the biggest. It was longer but it was lighter, which is why it’s not considered to be the largest dinosaur predator. Its huge sail made it seem larger than it actually was.
DINOSAUR FACT – SPINOSAURUS VS TYRANNOSAURUS REX; WHO WILL WIN?
In the movie Jurassic Park III, Spinosaurus snapped Tyrannosaurus Rex’s neck and defeated it in a one on one battle. This battle was fictional, of course, since the two lived vast distances and millions of years apart from one another. But in a realistic scenario, which dinosaur would win in a battle?
Spinosaurus was lighter than Tyrannosaurus Rex but had a longer skull. Its teeth were very similar to a modern day crocodile’s, and it had extra teeth in the lower jaw. The jaws were specifically designed to grip struggling prey. Spinosaurus also had longer forelimbs, a large sickle-shaped thumb claw, and powerful shoulders. A lighter build also means more agility.
Tyrannosaurus Rex on the other hand was heavily built, had one of the most powerful bite forces, and is arguably still the “king.” But to this day, scientists still debate whether it was actually a scavenger. Unfortunately, the world will never know which species would win.
DINOSAUR FACT – WHAT DID SPINOSAURUS EAT?
Spinosaurus was an apex predator like T-Rex but its skeletal structure (especially the skull) resembled other spinosaurs like Baryonyx and Suchomimus. Its long narrow snout, long sharp teeth (without serrations), and ability to walk on all fours indicate that it was designed to hunt large fish and perhaps even large dinosaurs.
It was an apex predator and its large hook-like thumb claw was built to grab fish like a grizzly bear. Its diet consisted of both fish and meat, depending on which was available. There was no doubt it lived near water.
DINOSAUR FACT – THE GIANT BONY SAIL
Spinosaurus’ brightly colored sail is what makes it stand out. Without it, it wouldn’t look as menacingly large. But this bony sail has other functions. Spinosaurus could have used it to attract mates as a display, support a tall fleshy lump to store food, and to control its body temperature. This indicated that it was most probably cold-blooded – unable to regulate its own temperature.
DINOSAUR FACT – SPINOSAURUS’ INTELLIGENCE AND BEHAVIOR
Spinosaurus was an “advanced theropod”, making it one of the more intelligent dinosaurs. Its EQ (Encephalization Quotient), which measures brain size relative to body weight, proved that. As an apex predator, it had no direct threats and it was large enough to take down sauropods.
Based on its structure, experts believe Spinosaurus was very similar to a crocodile and a grizzly bear, in terms of possible hunting habits. Since its original remains were destroyed in an allied bombing during World War II, it’s difficult to gain a factual understanding on the dinosaur. Despite how little we know about it, there’s no question it’s a record holder among all dinosaurs.
WORKS CITED
David Lambert, Darren Naish, and Elizabeth Wyse. “Double Beams.” Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life. DK Publishing, 2008.
“Spinosaurus”. Enchanted Learning.
dal Sasso, C.; Maganuco, S.; Buffetaut, E.; and Mendez, M.A. (2005). “New information on the skull of the enigmatic theropod Spinosaurus, with remarks on its sizes and affinities”. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology25 (4): 888-896. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025[0888:NIOTSO]2.0.CO;2
“Museum unveils world’s largest T-rex skull”. Montana State University.
