A–ZAdd dino

"Spine lizard"

Spinosaurus

Late Cretaceous · 99–93 MyaPiscivoreNorth Africa

Longer than T. rex and unlike any other predator: a crocodile's snout, a two-meter sail, dense bones for buoyancy control and a paddle-like tail. Spinosaurus spent much of its life in rivers, hunting car-sized fish.

Length
15 m
Height
4.4 m
Weight
7,500 kg
Top speed
20 km/h

Field notes

  • The longest known carnivorous dinosaur — up to 15 meters.
  • The first dinosaur known to be genuinely semi-aquatic.
  • The original fossils were destroyed in a WWII bombing raid.
Meet the rest of the Spinosauridae family →