Suchomimus

Last updated

Contents

Suchomimus
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous (Barremian to Albian), 125–112  Ma
CCM Suchomimus 2018.jpg
Reconstructed skeleton at the Chicago Children's Museum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Family:† Spinosauridae
Clade:† Ceratosuchopsini
Genus:† Suchomimus
Sereno et al., 1998
Type species
†Suchomimus tenerensis
Sereno et al., 1998
Synonyms
  • Baryonyx tenerensis(Sereno et al., 1998) Sues et al., 2002 [originally Suchomimus]

Suchomimus (meaning "crocodile mimic") is a genus of spinosaur dinosaur that lived between 125 and 112 million years ago in what is now Niger, north Africa, during the Aptian to early Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous period. It was named and described by paleontologist Paul Sereno and colleagues in 1998, based on a partial skeleton from the Elrhaz Formation. Suchomimus's long and shallow skull, similar to that of a crocodile, earns it its generic name, while the specific name Suchomimus tenerensis alludes to the locality of its first remains, the Ténéré Dese.

Suchomimus was a relatively large theropod, reaching 9.5–11 metres (31–36 ft) in length and weighing 2.5–3.8 metric tons (2.8–4.2 short tons). However, the age of the holotype specimen is uncertain, so it is unclear whether this size estimate would have been its maximum. The narrow head of Suchomimus was perched on a short neck, and its forelimbs were powerfully built, bearing a giant claw on each thumb. Along the midline of the animal's back ran a low dorsal sail, built from the long neural spines of its vertebrae. Like other spinosaurids, it likely had a diet of fish, eels, rays and smaller prey animals.

Some palaeontologists consider the genus to be an African species of the European spinosaurid Baryonyx , B. tenerensis. Suchomimus might also be a junior synonym of the contemporaneous spinosaurid Cristatusaurus lapparenti, although the latter taxon is based on much more fragmentary remains. Suchomimus lived in a fluvial environment of vast floodplains alongside many other dinosaurs, in addition to pterosaurs, crocodylomorphs, bony fishes, testudines, and bivalves.

Discovery and naming

Outcrops of the Erlhaz Formation, (Gadoufaoua in lower right) Gadoufaoua.png
Outcrops of the Erlhaz Formation, (Gadoufaoua in lower right)

In 1997, American palaeontologist Paul Sereno and his team at Gadoufaoua discovered Fossils that represented about two-thirds of a large theropod dinosaur skeleton in Niger. The first find, a giant thumb claw, was made on 4 December 1997 by David Varricchio. In 1998, Sereno, Allison Beck, Didier Dutheil, Boubacar Gado, Hans Larsson, Gabrielle Lyon, Jonathan Marcot, Oliver Rauhut, Rudyard Sadleir, Christian Sidor, David Varricchio, Gregory Wilson and Jeffrey Wilson named and described the type species Suchomimus tenerensis. The generic name Suchomimus ("crocodile mimic") is derived from the Ancient Greek σοῦχος, souchos, "crocodile", and μῖμος, mimos, "mimic", after the shape of the animal's head. The specific name tenerensis is after the Ténéré Desert where the animal was found. [1]

The holotype, MNN GDF500, was found in the Tegama Beds of the Elrhaz Formation. It consists of a partial skeleton lacking the skull. It contains three neck ribs, parts of fourteen dorsal (back) vertebrae, ten dorsal ribs, gastralia (or "belly ribs"), pieces of three sacral vertebrae, parts of twelve caudal (tail) vertebrae, chevrons (bones that form the underside of the tail), a scapula (shoulder blade), a coracoid, a partial forelimb, most of the pelvis (hip bone), and parts of a hindlimb. The spinal column was largely articulated, the remainder consisted of disarticulated bones. Parts of the skeleton had been exposed on the desert surface and had suffered erosion damage. Additionally, several specimens have been assigned as paratypes: MNN GDF 501 to 508 include a snout, a quadrate from the back of the skull, three dentaries (tooth-bearing bones of the lower jaw), an axis (second neck vertebra), a rear cervical vertebra, and a rear dorsal vertebra. MNN GDF 510 to MNN GDF 511 comprise two caudal vertebrae. All of the original Suchomimus fossils are housed in the palaeontological collection of the Musée National du Niger. [1] The initial description of Suchomimus was preliminary. In 2007, the furcula (wishbone)—found during an expedition in 2000—was described in detail. [2]

Digital skeletal reconstructions of Suchomimus showing known bones based on the holotype (red), a partial skeleton (blue), and other referred specimens (yellow) Digital skeletal reconstructions of Suchomimus.png
Digital skeletal reconstructions of Suchomimus showing known bones based on the holotype (red), a partial skeleton (blue), and other referred specimens (yellow)

S. tenerensis is potentially a junior synonym of another spinosaurid from the Elrhaz Formation, Cristatusaurus lapparenti , named the same year based on jaw fragments and vertebrae. [3] The skull elements were considered indistinguishable from those of Baryonyx walkeri from the Barremian of England by British paleontologists Alan Charig and Angela Milner. [4] In 1997 while describing S. tenerensis, Sereno and colleagues agreed with this assessment and concluded that Cristatusaurus was a dubious name. [1] In 2002, the German palaeontologist Hans-Dieter Sues and colleagues concluded that Suchomimus was identical to Cristatusaurus lapparenti, and despite Cristatusaurus having been named somewhat earlier than Suchomimus, proposed them to represent a second species of Baryonyx called Baryonyx tenerensis. [5] In a 2003 analysis, German paleontologist Oliver Rauhut concurred with this. [6] In a 2004 conference abstract, Hutt and Newberry supported the synonymy based on a large theropod vertebra from the Isle of Wight which they attributed to an animal closely related to Baryonyx and Suchomimus. [7] Later studies have kept Baryonyx and Suchomimus separate, whereas Cristatusaurus has been proposed to be either a nomen dubium or possibly distinct from both. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] A 2017 review paper by the palaeontologist Carlos Roberto A. Candeiro and colleagues stated that this debate was more in the realm of semantics than science, as it is generally agreed that B. walkeri and S. tenerensis are distinct, related species. [13] Barker and colleagues found Suchomimus to be closer related to the British genera Riparovenator and Ceratosuchops than to Baryonyx in 2021. [14]

Description

Size comparison of various spinosaurids (Suchomimus in red, second from right) with a human Spinosauridae Size Diagram by PaleoGeek - Version 2.svg
Size comparison of various spinosaurids (Suchomimus in red, second from right) with a human

The length of the type specimen of Suchomimus, with undetermined age, reached 9.5–11 metres (31–36 ft) in length and weighed 2.5–3.8 metric tons (2.8–4.2 short tons). [15] [16] [17] Therrein and Henderson proposed that a 10.3 metres (34 ft) long Suchomimus would have weighed more than 5.3 metric tons (5.8 short tons) based on their ratio between skull length and body length; however, they noted that they might have overestimated the size of spinosaurids (i.e. Suchomimus and Baryonyx). [18] The holotype of Suchomimus was considerably larger than that of Baryonyx, but the ages of the two individuals are not known. [1] [19]

Skull

Reconstructed skull, Museum of Ancient Life, Utah Suchomimus skull Museum of Anchient Life.jpg
Reconstructed skull, Museum of Ancient Life, Utah

Unlike most giant theropod dinosaurs, Suchomimus had a very crocodilian-like skull, with a long, low snout and narrow jaws formed by a forward expansion of the premaxillae (frontmost snout bones) and the hind branch of the maxillae (main upper jaw bone). The premaxillae had an upward branch excluding the maxillae from the external nares (bony nostrils). The jaws had about 122 conical teeth, pointed but not very sharp and curving slightly backwards, with fine serrations and wrinkled enamel. The tip of the snout was enlarged sideways and carried a "terminal rosette" of longer teeth, seven per side in the premaxillae and about the same number in the corresponding part of the lower jaw. Further back, there were at least 22 teeth per upper jaw side in the maxilla, while the entire lower jaw side carried 32 teeth in the dentary bone. [1]

Closeup of front of the snout and dentition Suchomimus tenerensis theropod dinosaur (Elrhaz Formation, Lower Cretaceous; Gadoufaoua, Tenere Desert, central Niger, northwest-central Africa) 3 (15414778255).jpg
Closeup of front of the snout and dentition

The upper jaw had a prominent kink just behind the rosette, protruding downwards; this convexly curved part of the maxilla had the longest teeth of the entire skull. The internal bone shelves of the maxillae met each other in the midline of the skull over a long distance, forming a closed secondary palate that stiffened the snout, and setting off the internal nostrils and palatal complex (including the pterygoid, palatine and ectopterygoid) towards the back of the skull. The nostrils, unlike in most theropods, were retracted further back on the skull and behind the premaxillary teeth. The external nares were long, narrow and horizontally positioned; the same was true of the larger antorbital fenestrae, a pair of bony openings in front of the eyes. The rear of the skull is poorly known but for a short quadrate bone, which had broad condyles (round protrusions) away from the centre of attachment and—like in the spinosaurid Baryonyx —had a large foramen (opening) separating it from the quadratojugal bone. The lower jaws were greatly elongated and narrow, forming a rigid structure as their dentaries touched each other at the midline, reinforcing the mandible against torsional (bending and twisting) forces. [1]

Postcranial skeleton

Life restoration Suchomimus2.jpg
Life restoration

The neck was relatively short but well-muscled as shown by strong epipophyses (processes to which neck muscles attached). There were about sixteen dorsal vertebrae. Suchomimus had significantly extended neural spines—blade-shaped upward extensions on the vertebrae—which were elongated at the rear back. Those of the five sacral vertebrae were the longest. The elongation of these structures continued until the middle of the tail. The spines may have held up some kind of low crest or sail of skin that was highest over its hips, lower and extending further to the back than that of Spinosaurus , in which the sail reached its highest peak over the dorsal vertebrae. This condition was more reduced in Baryonyx. [1]

Reconstructed forelimb and hand of Suchomimus, Museum of Ancient Life, Utah Suchomimus arm Museum of Anchient Life.jpg
Reconstructed forelimb and hand of Suchomimus, Museum of Ancient Life, Utah

The furcula was V-shaped and indicates a high and narrow trunk. [2] The scapula had a rectangular acromion, or attachment site for clavicle (collarbone). The humerus (upper arm bone) was very strongly built, only equaled in size among non-spinosaurid theropods by that of Megalosaurus and Torvosaurus , with robust upper corners. The humerus had a boss (bone overgrowth) above the condyle that contacted its hook-shaped radius (forearm bone). Accordingly, the ulna of the lower arm was well-developed with an enormous olecranon (upper process set-off from the shaft), an exceptional trait shared with Baryonyx . The heavy arm musculature powered sizable hand claws, that of the first digit (or "thumb") being the largest with a length of 19 centimetres (7.5 inches). Only the third metacarpal (long bone of the hand) is known; showing a robust morphology (form). In the pelvis, the ilium (main hip bone) was high. The pubis (pubic bone) had a front surface that was wider than the side surface, and its forward-facing lower end was flattened and rectangular, with a brief flange along the midline, in contrast to the expanded boot shape it had in other theropods. The ischium (lower and rearmost hip bone) bore a low obturator flange. The femur (thighbone) was straight and robust, with a length of 107 cm (42 in) in the holotype. Its lesser trochanter is markedly plate-like. In the ankle, the astragalus had an ascending process taller than that of Allosaurus . [1]

Classification

Skeletal diagram combining several specimens (above), compared with the closely related genus Baryonyx Suchomimus and Baryonyx.jpg
Skeletal diagram combining several specimens (above), compared with the closely related genus Baryonyx

The describers established some autapomorphies (unique derived traits) of Suchomimus to separate it from other theropods, including the expanded rear dorsal, sacral, and front caudal neural spines, the robust upper corners of the humerus, and the boss above the humerus' condyle that contacted its hook-shaped radius. [1] Sereno and colleagues referred Suchomimus to the Spinosauridae and named two subfamilies within this clade, Baryonychinae (all spinosaurids more closely related to Baryonyx) and Spinosaurinae (all spinosaurids closer to Spinosaurus). Suchomimus was a member of the subfamily Baryonychinae. Apart from its apparently taller sail, Suchomimus was very similar to the spinosaurid Baryonyx from the Barremian of England, and shared traits with it such as the reduced size and increased amount of teeth behind the snout tip in the mandible than spinosaurines, strong forelimbs, a huge sickle-curved claw on its "thumb", and strongly keeled front dorsal vertebrae. Spinosaurines are characterized by straight, unserrated and more widely spaced teeth, and the small size of their first premaxillary teeth. Sereno and colleagues pointed out that the more retracted nostrils in Irritator and the tall sail of Spinosaurus could also be unique traits of spinosaurines, though material from other taxa is needed to know for sure. [1] As with Suchomimus, the claw of Baryonyx had been the first discovered fossil of the animal. [1] [19] Sereno and colleagues in 1998 analyzed the distribution of forty-five traits to produce a cladogram that showed Suchomimus and Baryonyx to be distinct but closely related. [1] Later, Barker and colleagues, in 2021, created a new tribe within Baryonychinae: Ceratosuchopsini, a clade that includes Ceratosuchops , Riparovenator and Suchomimus. [14]

The following phylogenetic tree shows a 2009 analysis of the Megalosauroidea. [10]

Megalosauroidea

Evolution

Distribution of spinosaurids in Europe and North Africa during the Cretaceous; 9 is Suchomimus Spinosaurid distribution in Europe and North Africa.jpg
Distribution of spinosaurids in Europe and North Africa during the Cretaceous; 9 is Suchomimus

Spinosaurids appear to have been widespread from the Barremian to the Cenomanian stages of the Cretaceous period, about 130 to 95 million years ago, while the oldest known spinosaurid remains date to the Middle Jurassic. [20] They shared features such as long, narrow, crocodile-like skulls; sub-circular teeth, with fine to no serrations; the terminal rosette of the snout; and a secondary palate that made them more resistant to torsion. In contrast, the primitive and typical condition for theropods was a tall, narrow snout with blade-like (ziphodont) teeth with serrated carinae. [21] The skull adaptations of spinosaurids converged with those of Crocodilians; early members of the latter group had skulls similar to typical theropods, later developing elongated snouts, conical teeth, and secondary palates. These adaptations may have been the result of a dietary change from terrestrial prey to fish. Unlike crocodiles, the post-cranial skeletons of baryonychine spinosaurids do not appear to have aquatic adaptations. [22] [21] Sereno and colleagues proposed in 1998 that the large thumb-claw and robust forelimbs of spinosaurids evolved in the Middle Jurassic, before the elongation of the skull and other adaptations related to fish-eating, since the former features are shared with their megalosaurid relatives. They also suggested that the spinosaurines and baryonychines diverged before the Barremian age of the Early Cretaceous. [1]

Pair of Suchomimus fishing in shallow water Suchomimus Pair Reconstruction.jpg
Pair of Suchomimus fishing in shallow water

Several hypotheses have been proposed about the biogeography of the spinosaurids. Since Suchomimus was more closely related to Baryonyx (from Europe) than to Spinosaurus—although that genus also lived in Africa—the distribution of spinosaurids cannot be explained as vicariance resulting from continental rifting. [1] Sereno and colleagues proposed that spinosaurids were initially distributed across the supercontinent Pangea, but split with the opening of the Tethys Sea. Spinosaurines would then have evolved in the south (Africa and South America: in Gondwana) and baryonychines in the north (Europe: in Laurasia), with Suchomimus the result of a single north-to-south dispersal event. [1] Buffetaut and the Tunisian palaeontologist Mohamed Ouaja also suggested in 2002 that baryonychines could be the ancestors of spinosaurines, which appear to have replaced the former in Africa. [23] Milner suggested in 2003 that spinosaurids originated in Laurasia during the Jurassic, and dispersed via the Iberian land bridge into Gondwana, where they radiated. [24] In 2007, Buffetaut pointed out that palaeogeographical studies had demonstrated that Iberia was near northern Africa during the Early Cretaceous, which he found to confirm Milner's idea that the Iberian region was a stepping stone between Europe and Africa, which is supported by the presence of baryonychines in Iberia. The direction of the dispersal between Europe and Africa is still unknown, [25] and subsequent discoveries of spinosaurid remains in Asia and possibly Australia indicate that it may have been complex. [26] The findings of Barker et al. (2021) are consistent with Milner's findings, where Spinosauridae arose in Europe and there were at least two migrations to Africa. [14]

Palaeobiology

Mounted skeletal reconstruction at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science Suchomimuscroc.png
Mounted skeletal reconstruction at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Charig and Milner had proposed a piscivorous (fish-eating) diet for the closely related Baryonyx in 1986. This was later confirmed in 1997 with the discovery of partially digested fish scales found in the Baryonyx holotype. [19] In 1998 Sereno and colleagues suggested the same dietary preference for Suchomimus, based on its elongated jaws, spoon-shaped terminal rosette, and long teeth reminiscent of those of piscivorous crocodilians. [1] American palaeontologist Thomas Holtz noted that spinosaurid teeth were adapted for grasping rather than slicing, hence their reduced serrations, which in most other theropods were more prominent. Suchomimus's extensive secondary palate, which would have made the roof of the mouth more solid, allowed it to better resist twisting forces exerted by prey. The rest of Suchomimus's body was not particularly adapted to the water. [21] The discovery of Suchomimus revealed that spinosaurid skulls were significantly shallower, more elongated and narrow than previously thought. [1]

The use of the robust forelimbs and giant claws of spinosaurs remains a debated topic. Charig and Milner speculated in 1986 that Baryonyx may have crouched by the riverbank and used its claws to gaff fish out of the water, similarly to Grizzly bears. [27] In 1987, British biologist Andrew Kitchener hypothesized a use in scavenging carcasses, [28] though this has been critiqued by other researchers who pointed out that in most cases, a carcass would have already been largely emptied out by its initial predators. [29] [19] A 2005 study by Canadian paleontologist François Therrien and colleagues posited that spinosaur forelimbs were probably used for hunting larger prey items, given that their snouts could not resist the bending stress. [30] In a 2017 review of the family, David Hone and Holtz also considered possible functions in digging for water sources or hard to reach prey, as well as burrowing into soil to construct nests. [29]

A 2022 study comparing the bone densities of Suchomimus, Baryonyx and Spinosaurus reveals that spinosaurids had ecologically disparate lifestyles. Suchomimus itself was more adapted to a life hunting in shallow water due to its hollow bones, while Baryonyx and Spinosaurus were capable of fully submerging underwater and diving after prey. Courtesy of denser bones, the latter two spinosaurids could hunt underwater for prey and occupy a more derived lifestyle than Suchomimus could. [31] [32] [33]

Palaeoecology

Restoration of Suchomimus and the sauropods Nigersaurus in the environment of the Elrhaz Formation Erlhaz Formation.jpg
Restoration of Suchomimus and the sauropods Nigersaurus in the environment of the Elrhaz Formation

The Elrhaz Formation, part of the Tegama Group, consists mainly of fluvial sandstones with low relief, much of which is obscured by sand dunes. [34] [35] The sediments are coarse- to medium-grained, with almost no fine-grained horizons. [36] Suchomimus lived in what is now Niger, during the late Aptian to early Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous, 112 million years ago. [37] [38] The sediment layers of the formation have been interpreted as an inland habitat of extensive freshwater floodplains and fast-moving rivers, with a tropical climate that likely experienced seasonal dry periods. [37]

This environment was home to a variety of fauna including dinosaurs, pterosaurs, turtles, fish, hybodont sharks, and freshwater bivalves. [38] [35] Suchomimus coexisted with other theropods like the abelisaurid Kryptops palaios , the carcharodontosaurid Eocarcharia dinops , and an unknown noasaurid. Herbivorous dinosaurs of the region included iguanodontians like Ouranosaurus nigeriensis , Elrhazosaurus nigeriensis, Lurdusaurus arenatus, and two sauropods: Nigersaurus taqueti, and an unnamed titanosaur. Crocodylomorphs were abundant; represented by the giant pholidosaur species Sarcosuchus imperator , as well as small notosuchians like Anatosuchus minor, Araripesuchus wegeneri , and Stolokrosuchus lapparenti. [35] The local flora probably consisted mainly of ferns, horsetails, and angiosperms, based on the dietary adaptations of the large diplodocoids that lived there. [37]

Related Research Articles

<i>Spinosaurus</i> Genus of spinosaurid dinosaur

Spinosaurus is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in what now is North Africa during the Cenomanian to upper Turonian stages of the Late Cretaceous period, about 99 to 93.5 million years ago. The genus was known first from Egyptian remains discovered in 1912 and described by German palaeontologist Ernst Stromer in 1915. The original remains were destroyed in World War II, but additional material came to light in the early 21st century. It is unclear whether one or two species are represented in the fossils reported in the scientific literature. The best known species is S. aegyptiacus from Egypt, although a potential second species, S. maroccanus, has been recovered from Morocco. The contemporary spinosaurid genus Sigilmassasaurus has also been synonymized by some authors with S. aegyptiacus, though other researchers propose it to be a distinct taxon. Another possible junior synonym is Oxalaia from the Alcântara Formation in Brazil.

<i>Irritator</i> Spinosaurid theropod dinosaur genus from the Early Cretaceous Period

Irritator is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in what is now Brazil during the Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous Period, about 113 to 110 million years ago. It is known from a nearly complete skull found in the Romualdo Formation of the Araripe Basin. Fossil dealers had acquired this skull and sold it to the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart. In 1996, the specimen became the holotype of the type species Irritator challengeri. The genus name comes from the word "irritation", reflecting the feelings of paleontologists who found the skull had been heavily damaged and altered by the collectors. The species name is a homage to the fictional character Professor Challenger from Arthur Conan Doyle's novels.

<i>Baryonyx</i> Genus of theropod dinosaurs

Baryonyx is a genus of theropod dinosaur which lived in the Barremian stage of the Early Cretaceous period, about 130–125 million years ago. The first skeleton was discovered in 1983 in the Smokejack Clay Pit, of Surrey, England, in sediments of the Weald Clay Formation, and became the holotype specimen of Baryonyx walkeri, named by palaeontologists Alan J. Charig and Angela C. Milner in 1986. The generic name, Baryonyx, means "heavy claw" and alludes to the animal's very large claw on the first finger; the specific name, walkeri, refers to its discoverer, amateur fossil collector William J. Walker. The holotype specimen is one of the most complete theropod skeletons from the UK, and its discovery attracted media attention. Specimens later discovered in other parts of the United Kingdom and Iberia have also been assigned to the genus, though many have since been moved to new genera.

<i>Carcharodontosaurus</i> Genus of carcharodontosaurid dinosaur from the Cretaceous period

Carcharodontosaurus is a genus of carnivorous theropod dinosaur that lived in North Africa from about 99 to 94 million years ago during the Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous. Two teeth of the genus, now lost, were first described from Algeria by French paleontologists Charles Depéret and Justin Savornin as Megalosaurus saharicus. A partial skeleton was collected by crews of German paleontologist Ernst Stromer during a 1914 expedition to Egypt. Stromer did not report the Egyptian find until 1931, in which he dubbed the novel genus Carcharodontosaurus, making the type species C. saharicus. Unfortunately, this skeleton was destroyed during the Second World War. In 1995 a nearly complete skull of C. saharicus, the first well-preserved specimen to be found in almost a century, was discovered in the Kem Kem Beds of Morocco; it was designated the neotype in 1996. Fossils unearthed from the Echkar Formation of northern Niger were described and named as another species, C. iguidensis, in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetanurae</span> Clade containing most theropod dinosaurs

Tetanurae is a clade that includes most theropod dinosaurs, including megalosauroids, allosauroids, tyrannosauroids, ornithomimosaurs, compsognathids and maniraptorans. Tetanurans are defined as all theropods more closely related to modern birds than to Ceratosaurus and contain the majority of predatory dinosaur diversity. Tetanurae likely diverged from its sister group, Ceratosauria, during the late Triassic. Tetanurae first appeared in the fossil record by the Early Jurassic about 190 mya and by the Middle Jurassic had become globally distributed.

<i>Neovenator</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Neovenator is a genus of carcharodontosaurian theropod dinosaur. It is known from several skeletons found in the Early Cretaceous (Hauterivian-Barremian) Wessex Formation on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, southern England. It is one of the best known theropod dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous of Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spinosauridae</span> Family of dinosaurs

Spinosauridae is a clade or family of tetanuran theropod dinosaurs comprising ten to seventeen known genera. Spinosaurid fossils have been recovered worldwide, including Africa, Europe, South America and Asia. Their remains have generally been attributed to the Early to Mid Cretaceous.

<i>Siamosaurus</i> Potentially dubious genus of spinosaurid theropod dinosaur

Siamosaurus is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in what is now known as China and Thailand during the Early Cretaceous period and is the first reported spinosaurid from Asia. It is confidently known only from tooth fossils; the first were found in the Sao Khua Formation, with more teeth later recovered from the younger Khok Kruat Formation. The only species Siamosaurus suteethorni, whose name honours Thai palaeontologist Varavudh Suteethorn, was formally described in 1986. In 2009, four teeth from China previously attributed to a pliosaur—under the species "Sinopliosaurus" fusuiensis—were identified as those of a spinosaurid, possibly Siamosaurus. It is yet to be determined if two partial spinosaurid skeletons from Thailand and an isolated tooth from Japan also belong to Siamosaurus.

<i>Cristatusaurus</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Cristatusaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous Period of what is now Niger, 112 million years ago. It was a baryonychine member of the Spinosauridae, a group of large bipedal carnivores with well-built forelimbs and elongated, crocodile-like skulls. The type species Cristatusaurus lapparenti was named in 1998 by scientists Philippe Taquet and Dale Russell, on the basis of jaw bones and some vertebrae. Two claw fossils were also later assigned to Cristatusaurus. The animal's generic name, which means "crested reptile", alludes to a sagittal crest on top of its snout; while the specific name is in honor of the French paleontologist Albert-Félix de Lapparent. Cristatusaurus is known from the Albian to Aptian Elrhaz Formation, where it would have coexisted with sauropod and iguanodontian dinosaurs, other theropods, and various crocodylomorphs.

<i>Sigilmassasaurus</i> Spinosaurid theropod dinosaur genus from Cretaceous Period

Sigilmassasaurus is a controversial genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived approximately 100 to 94 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period in what is now northern Africa. Named in 1996 by Canadian paleontologist Dale Russell, it contains a single species, Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis. The identity of the genus has been debated by scientists, with some considering its fossils to represent material from the closely related species Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, while others have classified it as a separate taxon, forming the clade Spinosaurini with Spinosaurus as its sister taxon.

<i>Suchosaurus</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Suchosaurus is a spinosaurid dinosaur from Cretaceous England and Portugal, originally believed to be a genus of crocodile. The type material, consisting of teeth, was used by British palaeontologist Richard Owen to name the species S. cultridens in 1841. Later in 1897, French palaeontologist Henri-Émile Sauvage named a second species, S. girardi, based on two fragments from the mandible and one tooth discovered in Portugal. Suchosaurus is possibly a senior synonym of the contemporary spinosaurid Baryonyx, but is usually considered a dubious name due to the paucity of its remains, and is considered an indeterminate baryonychine. In the Wadhurst Clay Formation of what is now southern England, Suchosaurus lived alongside other dinosaurs, as well as plesiosaurs, mammals, and crocodyliforms.

<i>Oxalaia</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Oxalaia is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in what is now the Northeast Region of Brazil during the Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, sometime between 100.5 and 93.9 million years ago. Its only known fossils were found in 1999 on Cajual Island in the rocks of the Alcântara Formation, which is known for its abundance of fragmentary, isolated fossil specimens. The remains of Oxalaia were described in 2011 by Brazilian palaeontologist Alexander Kellner and colleagues, who assigned the specimens to a new genus containing one species, Oxalaia quilombensis. The species name refers to the Brazilian quilombo settlements. Oxalaia quilombensis is the eighth officially named theropod species from Brazil and the largest carnivorous dinosaur discovered there. It is closely related to the African genus Spinosaurus, and/or may be a junior synonym of this taxon.

<i>Ichthyovenator</i> Genus of dinosaur

Ichthyovenator is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in what is now Laos, sometime between 125 and 113 million years ago, during the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous period. It is known from fossils collected from the Grès supérieurs Formation of the Savannakhet Basin, the first of which were found in 2010, consisting of a partial skeleton without the skull or limbs. This specimen became the holotype of the new genus and species Ichthyovenator laosensis, and was described by palaeontologist Ronan Allain and colleagues in 2012. The generic name, meaning "fish hunter", refers to its assumed piscivorous lifestyle, while the specific name alludes to the country of Laos. In 2014, it was announced that more remains from the dig site had been recovered; these fossils included teeth, more vertebrae (backbones) and a pubic bone from the same individual.

<i>Ostafrikasaurus</i> Genus of theropod dinosaur

Ostafrikasaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period of what is now Lindi Region, Tanzania. It is known only from fossil teeth discovered sometime between 1909 and 1912, during an expedition to the Tendaguru Formation by the Natural History Museum of Berlin. Eight teeth were originally attributed to the dubious dinosaur genus Labrosaurus, and later to Ceratosaurus, both known from the North American Morrison Formation. Subsequent studies attributed two of these teeth to a spinosaurid dinosaur, and in 2012, Ostafrikasaurus crassiserratus was named by French palaeontologist Eric Buffetaut, with one tooth as the holotype, and the other referred to the same species. The generic name comes from the German word for German East Africa, the former name of the colony in which the fossils were found, while the specific name comes from the Latin words for "thick" and "serrated", in reference to the form of the animal's teeth.

<i>Camarillasaurus</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Camarillasaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous period (Barremian) of Camarillas, Teruel Province, in what is now northeastern Spain. Described in 2014, it was originally identified as a ceratosaurian theropod, but later studies suggested affinities to the Spinosauridae. If it does represent a spinosaur, Camarillasaurus would be one of five spinosaurid taxa known from the Iberian peninsula, the others being Iberospinus, Protathlitis, Riojavenatrix, and Vallibonavenatrix.

<i>Vallibonavenatrix</i> Genus of spinosaurid theropod dinosaur

Vallibonavenatrix is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) Arcillas de Morella Formation of Castellón, Spain. The type and only species is Vallibonavenatrix cani, known from a partial skeleton.

<i>Ceratosuchops</i> Genus of baryonychine spinosaur from the Early Cretaceous

Ceratosuchops is a genus of spinosaurid from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) of Britain.

<i>Riparovenator</i> Genus of baryonychine spinosaur from the Early Cretaceous

Riparovenator is a genus of baryonychine spinosaurid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) period of Britain. The genus contains a single species, Riparovenator milnerae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baryonychinae</span> Subfamily of dinosaurs (fossil)

Baryonychinae is an extinct clade or subfamily of spinosaurids from the Early Cretaceous (Valanginian-Albian) of Britain, Portugal, and Niger. The clade was named by Charig & Milner in 1986 and defined by Sereno et al. in 1998 and Holtz et al. in 2004 as all taxa more closely related to Baryonyx walkeri than to Spinosaurus aegyptiacus.

<i>Iberospinus</i> Extinct genus of spinosaurid dinosaur

IberospinusIPA:[aɪbiːʌroʊs̠piːnʊs̠] or IPA:[aɪbiːʌroʊs̠paɪnʌs̠] is an extinct genus of spinosaurid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) Papo Seco Formation of Portugal. The genus contains a single species, I. natarioi, known from several assorted bones belonging to one individual. Iberospinus represents one of five known spinosaurid taxa from the Iberian Peninsula, the others being Camarillasaurus, Protathlitis, Riojavenatrix, and Vallibonavenatrix. It is important for its implications of the geographical origin of Spinosauridae and the suggested presence of an at least semi-aquatic lifestyle early in the evolution of this clade.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Sereno, P.C.; Beck, A.L.; Dutheil, D.B.; Gado, B.; Larsson, H.C.E.; Lyon, G.H.; Marcot, J.D.; Rauhut, O.W.M.; Sadleir, R.W.; Sidor, C.A.; Varricchio, D.D.; Wilson, G.P; Wilson, J.A. (1998). "A long-snouted predatory dinosaur from Africa and the evolution of spinosaurids". Science. 282 (5392): 1298–1302. Bibcode:1998Sci...282.1298S. doi:10.1126/science.282.5392.1298. PMID   9812890.
  2. 1 2 Lipkin, Christine; Paul; Sereno, Callistus; Horner, Jack (2007). "The furcula in Suchomimus tenerensis and Tyrannosaurus rex (Dinosauria: Theropoda: Tetanurae)". Journal of Paleontology. 81 (6): 1523–1527. Bibcode:2007JPal...81.1523L. doi:10.1666/06-024.1. S2CID   86234363.
  3. ↑ Taquet, Philippe; Russell, Dale A (1998). "New data on spinosaurid dinosaurs from the early cretaceous of the Sahara". Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Série IIA. 327 (5): 347–353. Bibcode:1998CRASE.327..347T. doi:10.1016/S1251-8050(98)80054-2. ISSN   1251-8050.
  4. ↑ Charig, Alan J.; Milner, Angela C. (1986). "Baryonyx, a remarkable new theropod dinosaur". Nature. 324 (6095): 359–361. Bibcode:1986Natur.324..359C. doi:10.1038/324359a0. ISSN   0028-0836. PMID   3785404. S2CID   4343514.
  5. ↑ Sues, H.-D.; Frey, E.; Martill, M.; Scott, D.M. (2002). "Irritator challengeri, a spinosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 22 (3): 535–547. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0535:icasdt]2.0.co;2. S2CID   131050889.
  6. ↑ Rauhut, O. W. M. (2003). The interrelationships and evolution of basal theropod dinosaurs. Vol. 69. Special Papers in Palaeontology. pp. 35–36. ISBN   978-0-901702-79-1.
  7. ↑ Hutt, S.; Newbery, P. (2004). "A new look at Baryonyx walkeri (Charig and Milner, 1986) based upon a recent fossil find from the Wealden". Symposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Mateus, O.; Araújo, R.; Natário, C.; Castanhinha, R. (2011). "A new specimen of the theropod dinosaur Baryonyx from the early Cretaceous of Portugal and taxonomic validity of Suchosaurus" (PDF). Zootaxa. 2827. 2827: 54–68. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2827.1.3.
  9. ↑ Allain, R.; Xaisanavong, T.; Richir, P.; Khentavong, B. (2012). "The first definitive Asian spinosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the early cretaceous of Laos". Naturwissenschaften. 99 (5): 369–377. Bibcode:2012NW.....99..369A. doi:10.1007/s00114-012-0911-7. PMID   22528021. S2CID   2647367.
  10. 1 2 Benson, R. B. J.; Carrano, M. T.; Brusatte, S. L. (2009). "A new clade of archaic large-bodied predatory dinosaurs (Theropoda: Allosauroidea) that survived to the latest Mesozoic". Naturwissenschaften. 97 (1): 71–78. Bibcode:2010NW.....97...71B. doi:10.1007/s00114-009-0614-x. PMID   19826771. S2CID   22646156.
  11. ↑ Hendrickx, C.; Mateus, O.; Buffetaut, E.; Evans, A. R. (2016). "Morphofunctional Analysis of the Quadrate of Spinosauridae (Dinosauria: Theropoda) and the Presence of Spinosaurus and a Second Spinosaurine Taxon in the Cenomanian of North Africa". PLOS ONE. 11 (1): e0144695. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1144695H. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144695 . PMC   4703214 . PMID   26734729.
  12. ↑ Sales, M. A. F.; Schultz, C. L. (2017). "Spinosaur taxonomy and evolution of craniodental features: Evidence from Brazil". PLOS ONE. 12 (11): e0187070. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1287070S. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187070 . PMC   5673194 . PMID   29107966.
  13. ↑ Candeiro, C. R. A.; Brusatte, S. L.; Souza, A. L. (2017). "Spinosaurid Dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous of North Africa and Europe: Fossil Record, Biogeography and Extinction". Anuário do Instituto de Geociências. 40 (3): 294–302. doi: 10.11137/2017_3_294_302 . S2CID   221732970.
  14. 1 2 3 Barker, Chris T.; Hone, David W. E.; Naish, Darren; Cau, Andrea; Lockwood, Jeremy A. F.; Foster, Brian; Clarkin, Claire E.; Schneider, Philipp; Gostling, Neil J. (29 September 2021). "New spinosaurids from the Wessex Formation (Early Cretaceous, UK) and the European origins of Spinosauridae". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 19340. Bibcode:2021NatSR..1119340B. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-97870-8 . ISSN   2045-2322. PMC   8481559 . PMID   34588472.
  15. ↑ Paul, G.S., 2010, The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs, Princeton University Press p. 87
  16. ↑ Holtz, Thomas R. Jr. (2012) Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages, Winter 2011 Appendix.
  17. ↑ Seebacher, F. (2001). "A new method to calculate allometric length-mass relationships of dinosaurs" (PDF). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 21 (1): 51–60. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2001)021[0051:ANMTCA]2.0.CO;2. JSTOR   4524171. S2CID   53446536.
  18. ↑ Therrien, François; Henderson, Donald M. (2007). "My theropod is bigger than yours … or not: estimating body size from skull length in theropods" (PDF). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27 (1): 108–115. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[108:MTIBTY]2.0.CO;2. S2CID   86025320.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Charig, A. J.; Milner, A. C. (1997). "Baryonyx walkeri, a fish-eating dinosaur from the Wealden of Surrey". Bulletin of the Natural History Museum of London. 53: 11–70.
  20. ↑ Serrano-Martínez, A.; Vidal, D.; Sciscio, L.; Ortega, F.; Knoll, F. (2015). "Isolated theropod teeth from the Middle Jurassic of Niger and the early dental evolution of Spinosauridae". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. doi: 10.4202/app.00101.2014 . hdl: 10261/152148 .
  21. 1 2 3 Holtz, T.R. Jr (1998). "Spinosaurs as crocodile mimics". Science. 282 (5392): 1276–1277. doi:10.1126/science.282.5392.1276. S2CID   16701711.
  22. ↑ Ibrahim, N.; Sereno, P. C.; Dal Sasso, C.; Maganuco, S.; Fabri, M.; Martill, D. M.; Zouhri, S.; Myhrvold, N.; Lurino, D. A. (2014). "Semiaquatic adaptations in a giant predatory dinosaur". Science. 345 (6204): 1613–1616. Bibcode:2014Sci...345.1613I. doi: 10.1126/science.1258750 . PMID   25213375. S2CID   34421257. Supplementary Information
  23. ↑ Buffetaut, E.; Ouaja, M. (2002). "A new specimen of Spinosaurus (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Lower Cretaceous of Tunisia, with remarks on the evolutionary history of the Spinosauridae" (PDF). Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. 173 (5): 415–421. doi:10.2113/173.5.415. hdl: 2042/216 . S2CID   53519187.
  24. ↑ Milner, A. C. (2003). "Fish-eating theropods: A short review of the systematics, biology and palaeobiogeography of spinosaurs". Actas de las II Jornadas Internacionales Sobre Paleontologýa de Dinosaurios y Su Entorno: 129–138.
  25. ↑ Buffetaut, E. (2007). "The spinosaurid dinosaur Baryonyx (Saurischia, Theropoda) in the Early Cretaceous of Portugal" (PDF). Geological Magazine. 144 (6): 1021–1025. Bibcode:2007GeoM..144.1021B. doi:10.1017/S0016756807003883. S2CID   130212901.
  26. ↑ Mateus, O.; Araújo, R.; Natário, C.; Castanhinha, R. (2011). "A new specimen of the theropod dinosaur Baryonyx from the early Cretaceous of Portugal and taxonomic validity of Suchosaurus" (PDF). Zootaxa. 2827. 2827: 54–68. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2827.1.3.
  27. ↑ Charig, A. J.; Milner, A. C. (1986). "Baryonyx, a remarkable new theropod dinosaur". Nature. 324 (6095): 359–361. Bibcode:1986Natur.324..359C. doi:10.1038/324359a0. PMID   3785404. S2CID   4343514.
  28. ↑ Kitchener, Andrew (1987). "Function of Claws' claws". Nature. 325 (6100): 114. Bibcode:1987Natur.325..114K. doi: 10.1038/325114a0 . ISSN   0028-0836. S2CID   4264665.
  29. 1 2 Hone, David William Elliott; Holtz, Thomas Richard (2017). "A Century of Spinosaurs – A Review and Revision of the Spinosauridae with Comments on Their Ecology". Acta Geologica Sinica - English Edition. 91 (3): 1120–1132. Bibcode:2017AcGlS..91.1120H. doi:10.1111/1755-6724.13328. ISSN   1000-9515. S2CID   90952478.
  30. ↑ Therrien, F.; Henderson, D.; Ruff, C. (2005). "Bite me – biomechanical models of theropod mandibles and implications for feeding behavior". In Carpenter, K. (ed.). The Carnivorous Dinosaurs. Indiana University Press. pp. 179–230. ISBN   978-0-253-34539-4.
  31. ↑ Fabbri, Matteo; Navalón, Guillermo; Benson, Roger B. J.; Pol, Diego; O'Connor, Jingmai; Bhullar, Bhart-Anjan S.; Erickson, Gregory M.; Norell, Mark A.; Orkney, Andrew; Lamanna, Matthew C.; Zouhri, Samir; Becker, Justine; Emke, Amanda; Dal Sasso, Cristiano; Bindellini, Gabriele; Maganuco, Simone; Auditore, Marco; Ibrahim, Nizar (23 March 2022). "Subaqueous foraging among carnivorous dinosaurs". Nature. 603 (7903): 852–857. Bibcode:2022Natur.603..852F. doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04528-0. ISSN   1476-4687. PMID   35322229. S2CID   247630374.
  32. ↑ "Spinosaurus had penguin-like bones, a sign of hunting underwater". Science. 23 March 2022. Archived from the original on 23 March 2022.
  33. ↑ Museum, Field (23 March 2022). "Dense bones allowed Spinosaurus to hunt underwater, study shows". phys.org.
  34. ↑ Sereno, P. C.; Beck, A. L.; Dutheil, D. B.; Larsson, H. C.; Lyon, G. H.; Moussa, B.; Sadleir, R. W.; Sidor, C. A.; Varricchio, D. J.; Wilson, G. P.; Wilson, J. A. (1999). "Cretaceous sauropods from the Sahara and the uneven rate of skeletal evolution among dinosaurs" (PDF). Science. 286 (5443): 1342–1347. doi:10.1126/science.286.5443.1342. PMID   10558986.
  35. 1 2 3 Sereno, P. C.; Brusatte, S. L. (2008). "Basal abelisaurid and carcharodontosaurid theropods from the Lower Cretaceous Elrhaz Formation of Niger". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 53 (1): 15–46. doi: 10.4202/app.2008.0102 . hdl: 20.500.11820/5d55ed2e-52f2-4e4a-9ca1-fd1732f2f964 .
  36. ↑ Sereno, P. C.; Wilson, J. A.; Witmer, L. M.; Whitlock, J. A.; Maga, A.; Ide, O.; Rowe, T. A. (2007). "Structural extremes in a Cretaceous dinosaur". PLOS ONE. 2 (11): e1230. Bibcode:2007PLoSO...2.1230S. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001230 . PMC   2077925 . PMID   18030355. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  37. 1 2 3 Sereno, P. C.; Wilson, J. A.; Witmer, L. M.; Whitlock, J. A.; Maga, A.; Ide, O.; Rowe, T. A. (2007). "Structural extremes in a Cretaceous dinosaur". PLOS ONE. 2 (11): e1230. Bibcode:2007PLoSO...2.1230S. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001230 . PMC   2077925 . PMID   18030355.. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  38. 1 2 Sereno, Paul C.; Larson, Hans C. E.; Sidor, Christian A.; Gado, Boubé (2001). "The Giant Crocodyliform Sarcosuchus from the Cretaceous of Africa" (PDF). Science. 294 (5546): 1516–1519. Bibcode:2001Sci...294.1516S. doi:10.1126/science.1066521. PMID   11679634. S2CID   22956704.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.