Spinosaurus: Dinosaur Quick Facts
The Spinosaurus was a theropod dinosaur which lived in the Cretaceous Era. It was about 50 feet long, and its fossils have been found in both northern Africa and southern Asia. Spinosaurus had a large sail-fin on its back, but no one knows why although scientists do have their theories as to what functions it had.
The name Spinosaurus
Meaning – Spinosaurus means “spiny lizard”
Named By – Ernst Stromer von Reichenbach in 1935
What did the Spinosaurus eat?
The Spinosaurus was a carnivore meaning that it was a meat eater and ate plant-eating (herbivores) dinosaurs and large fish.
How big was the Spinosaurus
Length – 40-50 feet long
Weight – 4 tons
When did the Spinosaurus live?
Middle Cretaceous period, about 97.5-95 million years ago
Where did the Spinosaurus live?
Because scientists have found fossils in Egypt and Morocco, Africa they think that this dinosaur roamed that geographic region.
Where have fossils from the Spinosaurus been found?
Incomplete fossils have been found which included blade shaped neural spines up to 6 feet long.
What is the classification of the Spinosaurus?
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Archosauria
Order Saurischia
Suborder Theropoda
Tetanura
Family Spinosauria
Genus Spinosaurus
Species S. aegyptiacus
Interesting facts about the Spinosaurus
The sail on the Spinosaurus may have been used to attract mates during the mating season, or to ward away larger dinosaurs by making it seem bigger. Scientist also think that the Spinosaurus sail was used to disperse body heat since the dinosaur lived in a swampy environment near the equator during the warm Cretaceous period.
The original fragmentary fossil specimen from Egypt found in 1912 was destroyed in World War 2.
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