Spinosaurus is a genus of large theropod dinosaur that lived during the late Cretaceous period in what is now Egypt & Morocco in North Africa.
Creature attributes[]
Physical appearance and biology[]
Spinosaurus was one of the if not the[1] largest of the theropod dinosaurs. It reached lengths of up to 14 meters (46 ft) and weighed up to 7.4 tonnes.[2][3] A unique aspect of Spinosaurus was its sail, which could have been used to either attract mates, regulate its body temperature,[4] or simply to intimidate enemies Another unique characteristic is its crocodile-like snout that had interpreted to be adaptations for aquatic hunting, such as the nostrils facing upwards and a secondary palate for breathing concurrently while eating. Its teeth were conical, assumed to be; ideal for catching fish.[1]
Behaviour and traits[]
Spinosaurus had no known rival species other than; presumably; Sarcosuchus; which is uncertain if it lived in the same time period with Spinosaurus.
Spinosaurus lived mainly in the mangroves and floodplains of Africa[1] hunting any available prey item such as larger species of fish, as well as any terrestrial animals [1] such as Suchomimus, Ouranosaurus, Paralititan, and Carcharodontosaurus.
In Walking with Dinosaurs (2025)[]
The River Dragon[]
Sobek, a male Spinosaurus, exhibited strong paternal instincts. He observed one of his offspring moving away from the group. With controlled force, he used his jaws to grasp the wandering juvenile and relocate it back to the safety of the others. He maintained a watchful presence, prepared to prevent further straying, gently but firmly using his mouth to redirect any young ones.
He guided his offspring across the terrain during their foraging expeditions. The younger spinosaurs remained in close proximity, benefiting from his protective presence. When the group encountered water, Sobek entered first, allowing his young to position themselves on his head and the prominent dorsal sail, keeping them above the water as he swam.
One night, under conditions of limited visibility, a large Alanqa began to track the family. Its substantial size and silent movements made detection difficult, but an inadvertent sound it produced drew Sobek's attention. He immediately became still, assessing his surroundings as the predator appeared to merge with the vegetation. Sobek only became aware of an attack on one of his juveniles when it was too late; the elusive predator had already disappeared into the darkness.
Sobek displayed efficient aquatic hunting behavior. He submerged himself, pursuing fish by propelling himself through the water with powerful movements, targeting the fish's ventral side for a successful capture.
Sobek exhibited intense territoriality when another Spinosaurus approached his recent kill. He swiftly bit the intruding Spinosaurus's neck while simultaneously raking its flank with his claws, asserting his claim over the food. After successfully repelling the competitor and providing the fish to his offspring, Sobek moved a short distance away. The severity of the neck wound he sustained became evident; it was deep and ultimately proved fatal.
Behind the scenes[]
Spinosaurus is most famous for its appearance in Jurassic Park III where it was the dinosaur antagonist in the film and was strong enough to kill a Tyrannosaurus rex.
Unlike would is shown in Walking with Dinosaurs: Inside Their World, Spinosaurus probably did not have the jaw strength and possibly the neck muscles to single-handedly lift an adult Suchomimus into the air using only its jaws. Also in the app, Spinosaurus' hands are depicted as being able to pronate, which all theropods did not have.
In the BBC Earth profile there is a mention of a Spinosaurus specimen found with an Iguanodon specimen in its stomach. Though this specimen is real it was not a Spinosaurus, rather it was Baryonyx a close relative.
Like most theropods in the Walking with... series, it is depicted with hands that can pronate, when there has been evidence in recent years that show that theropods could not pronate their hands.
In 2014, a hypothesis reveals that Spinosaurus actually had short legs and was mostly aquatic, possibly walking like a duck or a pelican when on land. Its sail was differently shaped than previously thought, having a kink in the middle, though this is not confirmed; and lately the aquatic thesis fallen out of favor; as latest hypothesis reveals the Spinosaurus would unlikely be as aquatic as one suggested.
However in 2020, nearly complete Spinosaurus tail vertebrae is recently recovered from the kem kem beds, and that reveals that its tail was differently shaped than previously thought, more like a newt or a crocodile, and it is confirmed that Spinosaurus would likely be able to swim or dive for hunting.
Meanwhile in 2021, the research has found out that the aquatic association for Spinosaurus in highly inaccurate as well as inconsistent, and interpreted that Spinosaurus was a shoreline generalist, more akin to wading avians like Shoebills, Herons, Storks, Pelicans, Giant Petrels, Skuas and such species.
For years scientists have unearthed some fossil bones and skeletons of Spinosaurus as fully grown adults and subadults, but there hasn’t been any fossils of the babies and the juveniles yet. However, scientists think that the babies and juveniles in their early stages looked a little like one of their close relatives at first glance like a cross between Irritator, Suchomimus and Ichthyovenator due to the short spines on their backs like the four little Spinosaurus featuring on the 2025 series of Walking With Dinosaurs. But when they grow up, their spines become six feet tall just like their father's.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Out of all the theropod dinosaurs featured in Walking With Dinosaurs, Spinosaurus is the only one that is depicted without lips. Since the early 2020s, it is widely believe that all theropod dinosaurs had lips. However, it's widely debated if Spinosaurus, or spinosaurs in general, had lips due to their semiaquatic lifestyle.
- Unlike most theropods, Spinosaurus possessed a mouth full of conical teeth, which it used to ensnare slippery prey.
- Though Spinosaurus is widely believed to have been a biped, some have theorized or depicted it as a quadruped, mainly due to how short its legs are in proportion to its body.
- The predator-prey relationship between Spinosaurus and Onchopristis has been previously featured in other documentaries such as Planet Dinosaur (2011), Bigger Than T. Rex (2014) and Top 10 Biggest Beasts Ever (2015).
List of appearances[]
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Baryonyx • Suchomimus • Spinosaurus |