A giant stork-like dinosaur, Spinosaurus, that lived in North Africa 100 million years ago fed by snatching fish from the coast, according to the study
- The Spinosaurus was one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs that reached 49 feet
- Earlier theories suggest that they actively hunted prey by swimming in the sea
- British and American researchers believe it now looked more like a heron or a stork
- He would have stayed mostly on the shore eating fish and small land prey
According to a new study of their behavior, a giant, carnivorous dinosaur Spinosaurus snatched fish from the shore while also looking for small prey on land.
Earlier theories suggested that the 49-foot beast that lived 100 million years ago was a “largely aquatic predator” that used its long tail to swim and chase fish in the water.
The new study from Queen Mary University in London, based on the analysis of other dinosaurs and lizards that lived on land or sea, found little evidence to support the idea of the massive dinosaur as an aquatic predator.
They found that it was not well adapted to aquatic life and looked more like a “giant heron or stork” chasing the shoreline for fish and small land animals.
Vital reconstruction of a Spinosaurus walking in the water and fishing. According to a new study of their behavior, a giant, carnivorous dinosaur Spinosaurus snatched fish from the shore while also looking for small prey on land.
Beak storks saddle in Africa looking for food with their beak partially underwater. It is possible that Spinosaurus did something similar by partying on the shore for animals and fish
First discovered by paleontologists in 1915, the ecology and biology of the massive carnivorous beast has baffled researchers for decades.
Dr. David Hone, a senior professor at Queen Mary and lead author of the project, said analysis of other creatures – alive and extinct – revealed evidence of a heron-like behavior, but none that supported him as a heron. aquatic predator.
“Some studies suggested that he was actively chasing fish in the water,” Hone said, “but while they could swim, they would not have been fast or efficient enough to do so effectively,” he added.
“Our findings suggest that the idea of limiting yourself is much better supported, albeit a little less exciting,” Hone explained.
The researchers studied the likely position of the Spinosaurus’ head in the water, determining that it was not appropriate to open the aquatic fish search.
Co-author Tom Holtz, a senior professor of vertebrate paleontology at the University of Maryland, added that the creature was a “strange animal even by dinosaur standards.”
He said the Spinosaurus “doesn’t look like anything alive today,” adding that “trying to understand its ecology will always be difficult.”
“We have tried to use what evidence we have to get closer to their way of life. And what we have found does not match the attributes one might expect in a water-chasing predator in the manner of an otter, a sea lion, or a short-necked plesiosaur.
One of the key tests discovered by researchers related to the dinosaur’s ability to swim.
Spinosaurus was shown to be a less efficient swimmer than a crocodile, but it also has fewer tail muscles than a crocodile and, due to its size, would have much more drag in the water.
Dr Hone said: “Crocodiles are excellent in water compared to terrestrial animals, but they are not as specialized for aquatic life and are not able to actively chase fish.
“If Spinosaurus had fewer tail muscles, less efficiency and more endurance, it’s hard to see how these dinosaurs could chase fish in a way that crocodiles can’t,” he added.
Dr. Holtz said that despite this, evidence suggests that the creature fed partially, or even mostly, on water, more than any other large dinosaur.
The researchers found that Spinosaurus (fossils shown on the left) looked more like a stork or a heron (top right) for food than a crocodile (bottom right).
Rebuilt skeleton of a moderately sized Spinosaurus showing its famous sail and tail lead
“But that’s a different statement than being a fast swimmer chasing aquatic prey,” he added.
Although Dr. Hone concludes: “Although our study provides us with a clearer picture of the ecology and behavior of Spinosaurus, many questions and details remain to be examined for future studies.
‘We need to keep reviewing our ideas as we accumulate evidence and data about these unique dinosaurs. This will not be the last word on the biology of these amazing animals. ”
The findings have been published in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica.
SPINOSAURUS: ONE OF THE LARGEST CARNIVOROUS DINOSAURS
It is originally found in Egypt, and Spinosaurus is believed to be one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs in existence, probably reaching 49 feet in length.
Spinosaurus (right) faces a T-rex in the movie Jurassic Park III. The 50-foot, seven-ton Spinosaur was the largest known carnivorous dinosaur and lived in North Africa 100 million years ago.
Thoughts about their feeding behaviors vary, with some studies suggesting that it was an active aquatic predator that hunted fish in the sea.
Other studies state that it was a heron-like shoreline feeder, which caught small fish and land prey without venturing out to sea to actively chase them.
It lived in the Late Cretaceous era, 99 to 93.5 million years ago and lived in present-day North Africa.
There are two known species of spinosaurs that have been christened so far:
- Spinosaurus aegyptiacus or lizard of the Egyptian column
- The disputed Spinosaurus maroccanus or lizard of the Moroccan spine
The first known fossils of Spinosaurus were destroyed by Allied bombing during World War II, which has hampered the paleontologist’s attempts to understand unusual creatures.
Most recently, the dinosaur found fame in the 2001 film Jurassic Park III, where he fights and defeats a Tyrannosaurus rex.