What is Spinosaurus?
Q: What is Spinosaurus?
A: Spinosaurus was a massive semi-aquatic dinosaur from the Cretaceous era, approximately 99 to 93.5 million years ago.
Q: How big was Spinosaurus compared to other carnivorous dinosaurs?
A: Spinosaurus was the largest known terrestrial carnivore, possibly even larger than Tyrannosaurus rex.
Q: What made Spinosaurus suited to life in the water?
A: Spinosaurus had paddle-like feet and nostrils on top of its crocodile-like head, allowing it to submerge and swim like a crocodile.
Q: How did Spinosaurus move on land?
A: Spinosaurus was more clumsy on land and moved as a quadruped.
Q: Where were Spinosaurus bones initially discovered?
A: Spinosaurus bones were first found in Egypt by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer in 1912.
Q: How many Spinosaurus specimens have been unearthed?
A: Six Spinosaurus specimens have been found, but it is believed that some good material was destroyed in a 1944 bombing raid in Munich.
Q: What does the material support regarding the classification of Spinosaurus?
A: The material supports the monophyly of the Spinosaurinae group and the separation of Spinosaurus and Irritator.