Facts About Spinosaurus
Dinosaurs are some of the coolest creatures to walk on the Earth, but did you know that some dinosaurs could swim, too? That’s right, we’re talking about the Spinosaurus! This fishy dinosaur lived on Earth almost 100 million years ago, way before humans even existed.
With its big, sail-like back fin, the Spinosaurus is also known as a Spine Lizard! Spinosaurus was a lot like an enormous crocodile, making it a great swimmer compared to other land dinosaurs. In fact, it was even bigger than a T. Rex!
Keep reading to learn more fun facts about Spinosaurus and what made it such a special, unique dinosaur. We’ll cover lots of fun topics, like its massive size, why its sail fin is a mystery to scientists, and how Spinosaurus may have been one of the first dinosaurs to adapt to an aquatic lifestyle.
What did the Spinosaurus look like?
Scientists can only guess what dinosaurs might have looked like from their bones, but we know that Spinosaurus had some striking features. Can you remember why they’re called Spine Lizards? Although we don’t know exactly what their sail fin was for, some scientists have guessed that it may have been thick and worked like a camel hump.
A camel’s hump helps them cool down and store energy, which might have been helpful for Spinosaurus in the hot sun. It might have even been decoration to help them attract a mate or scare away enemies! Their sail had long, sharp bones to keep it upright, which is how scientists discovered they had one.
The main theory is that the Spinosaurus’s large sail would have been long and thin, helping it steer underwater. Its short, stubby legs and wide tails would have helped propel it forward in the water, with the tail acting like a big boat paddle. Like how penguins use their wings to steer underwater!
While scientists are still learning more about dinosaurs and their appearance, check out an example of what they might have looked like:
As the exact appearance of dinosaurs remains uncertain, the images above are provided for illustrative purposes only and have been generated using AI technology.
How big was the Spinosaurus?
As one of the most enormous dinosaurs we know of, the typical Spinosaurus was about 14 metres long and weighed a whopping 7400 kilograms. That’s longer than a school bus and heavier than seven elephants! This makes the Spinosaurus bigger than a T. Rex, but its short legs would have made it shorter. Click here to check out some T. Rex facts!
The Spinosaurus was also very muscular, especially as they needed to swim as well as hunt on land. Their tail, in particular, was extremely muscular to help them chase prey in water. They needed to be speedy and agile to catch fish, especially with other dinosaurs and aquatic creatures looking to eat! With their speed, strength, and size, the Spinosaurus would have been a formidable foe, able to sweep up multiple fish in one go.
What did Spinosaurus eat?
As a semi-aquatic carnivore, it’s likely the Spinosaurus’s favourite snack was fish. They had long, narrow snouts like crocodiles that could swoop up and trap fish. Similarly, their cone-shaped teeth were curved and spaced apart, making them perfect for catching and eating fish. In fact, Spinosaurus fossils have typically been found alongside fish fossils! It’s even possible that their snout had pressure sensors that would be sensitive to movement in the water, helping them detect other animals.
Where did the Spinosaurus live?
The Spinosaurus lived in marshy swamps in North Africa, where we currently have Egypt and Morocco. While North Africa today is mostly desert, 100 million years ago, it was largely a system of rivers and mangrove forests, though it would also experience droughts that caused lakes to dry up. This is partly how we know that the Spinosaurus would have needed to exist on land as well as in water. It’s possible they even hunted other dinosaurs! Nowadays, the Spinosaurus’s habitat is similar to the Amazon rainforest. Imagine seeing a giant Spinosaurus in the rainforest!
What killed the Spinosaurus?
Before the end of the dinosaurs, the Spinosaurus still had to compete for food or territory and fight off other apex predators. Although Spinosaurus had the advantage of being aquatic and land-based, dwindling resources likely contributed to their extinction, especially when water sources dried up. Other carnivorous dinosaurs would have hunted the same fish and other small animals that the Spinosaurus ate, and there wasn’t enough for everyone!
Climate change during the time was also a likely contributor, with North Africa becoming drier and cooler, along with the water sources. The Spinosaurus’s swampy habitat is likely to have shrunk, making it harder to find food and survive.
Fun Spinosaurus Facts
- The heart of a blue whale weighs around 7000kg, making it almost as heavy as a Spinosaurus!
- Scientists still don’t know if the Spinosaurus walked on all four legs or could walk on two. What do you think?
- Fossils are bones, teeth, or footprints that have become rock over time. Using fossils, we can even find out what food a dinosaur liked!
- If you’re a big dinosaur fan, you might have spotted a Spinosaurus fighting a T. Rex in a Jurassic Park movie. Do you know which one?
- We haven’t found a complete Spinosaurus skeleton yet, so they may be longer than we think. Currently, we believe they’re as long as a basketball court!
Closing Summary:
Although it’s been gone for millions of years, scientists are still learning about Spinosaurus, its appearance, and how it lived. Most of our discoveries about dinosaurs come from finding their bones and picturing how they might have fit together. It’s almost like treasure hunting for the pieces of a puzzle! So far, with its aquatic abilities and unique sail, the Spinosaurus still stands out.
Would you like to become a dino detective one day? Keep learning, and maybe you’ll join the smart scientists studying dinosaur fossils or even become an adventurous archaeologist looking for bones! Or how about checking out some of our dinosaur-themed activities?
Spinosaurus Questions & Answers
Having read all about the amazing Spinosaurus, why not put your knowledge to the test? We’ve created a fun quiz with 10 questions based on the facts you just learned.
Download our printable quiz and see how many answers you can get right! Whether you’re a dino expert or just starting to learn about these fascinating creatures, it’s a great way to challenge yourself and have fun.
