Paleontologists in the Sahara Desert have unearthed fossils of a new Spinosaurus species, one of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs discovered. Known for its large blade-shaped crest and teeth specialized for snaring fish, the newly discovered predator hunted in inland forests and rivers, like a modern-day wading bird, earning the nickname \u201chell heron.\u201d<\/p>\n
The researchers estimate the dinosaur was about 40 feet long and weighed between 5 to 7 tons.<\/p>\n
Officially named Spinosaurus mirabilis, Latin for \u201castonishing Spinosaurus,\u201d it is said to have lived in what is now Niger over 95 million years ago.<\/p>\n
Its discovery far from the coast challenges previous assumptions, as similar fish-hunting dinosaurs have typically been found in coastal areas.<\/p>\n
The findings were published Thursday in the journal Science<\/a>.<\/p>\n The discovery<\/p>\n Though the site was originally discovered in 2019, researchers did not recognize the new species until they returned in 2022 to find more remains, according to BBC Science Focus<\/a> magazine. During that 2022 expedition to West Africa, the team collected 55 tons of specimens, according to ABC News<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis find was so sudden and amazing, it was really emotional for our team,\u201d said Paul Sereno, a professor of organismal biology and anatomy at the University of Chicago and lead researcher.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll forever cherish the moment in camp when we crowded around a laptop to look at the new species for the first time,\u201d Sereno said. \u201cOne member of our team generated 3D digital models of the bones we found to assemble the skull. … That\u2019s when the significance of the discovery really registered.\u201d<\/p>\n The researchers argue this group of dinosaurs went through three phases of evolution with added \u201caquatic adaptations and existence in habitats around the Tethys Sea.\u201d<\/p>\n The Spinosaurus species<\/p>\n