"The scene appears in a video released to the press as part of a dossier announcing the discovery of a new species: Spinosaurus mirabilis. It is the second Spinosaurus species, following the 1915 discovery in Egypt of the holotype that defined the group. This new wonderful spine lizard which is what its name means in Latin was discovered in 2022 in the Sahara Desert in modern-day Niger."
"This extinct carnivore inhabited North Africa about 95 million years ago, measured approximately 42 feet (13 meters) in length, and weighed between six and seven tons. It had interlocking teeth that functioned as a perfect fish trap and a large, scimitar-shaped crest on its skull resembling a traditional Persian sword which researchers believe would have been brightly colored. This feature, along with the typical dorsal sail that distinguishes the entire group, confirms that it was a visual display ornament, not a functional structure for hunting."
"The research compared the animal's skull morphology, neck proportions, and hind limbs with 43 extant and extinct predators. The authors conclude that spinosaurids including the new species were piscivores that fished by wading in shallow water, like modern herons, and not diving aquatic predators like crocodiles. Furthermore, their distance from the coast refutes the theory that these theropods could have been entirely aquatic."
Spinosaurus mirabilis was discovered in 2022 in the Sahara Desert of modern-day Niger and represents the second recognized Spinosaurus species. The animal lived about 95 million years ago, reached approximately 13 meters in length, and weighed six to seven tons. The skull bore interlocking teeth specialized as a fish trap and a prominent scimitar-shaped crest likely brightly colored. The crest and the dorsal sail functioned as visual display ornaments rather than hunting adaptations. Comparative analysis of skull, neck, and hind limb proportions with 43 predators indicates spinosaurids were piscivores that fished by wading in shallow water and were not fully aquatic.
Read at english.elpais.com
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