Why do scientists think the Spinosaurus have a sail back?

Other paleontologists have hypothesized that Spinosaurus used its sail to regulate its body temperature by absorbing heat or storing fat. “The sail was likely used as a display structure,” Ibrahim told Live Science. “It would have been visible from far away and even when the animal was swimming.

What makes the tail of Spinosaurus unusual compared to other theropods?

The Tail: Designed for water propulsion The tail is unique in Spinosaurus. It’s unusually long, has very tall processes, and is unusually flexible. Other theropods have very rigid tails that are used as a counterbalance. Spinosaurus tail is paddle shaped designed to bend laterally (Ibrahim, et al.

What is so unusual about Spinosaurus?

Spinosaurus had a relatively long neck that was curved like a coat hanger. “It’s got this weird neck for stabbing down,” added study lead researcher David Hone, a senior lecturer of zoology at Queen Mary University of London. Plus, its nostrils were halfway up its snout, not on top of its snout like a crocodile’s.

Who discovered Spinosaurus?

Ernst Stromer
Spinosaurus, or “spined reptile,” was named for its “sail-back” feature, created by tall vertebral spines. It was named by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer in 1915 on the basis of the discovery of a partial skeleton from Bahariya Oasis in western Egypt by his assistant Richard Markgraf.

What dinosaur is similar to a Spinosaurus?

Irritator probably looked very similar to Spinosaurus. A pterosaur from the same formation was found to have a spinosaurid tooth embedded in it. pterosaur would have been in or near the water feeding on fish.

Did the Spinosaurus have a tail?

The Discovery of a dinosaur fossil has caught the attention of scientists all over the world. This dinosaur fossil belongs to Spinosaurus. Spinosaurus aegyptiacus was equipped with a paddle-shaped tail and that helped the predator to swim through the water like a crocodile.

Did Spinosaurus live in water?

Bigger than Tyrannosaurus rex, Spinosaurus lived during the Cretaceous era between 145.5 and 65.5 million years ago, which was the last period of the Mesozoic Era following the Jurassic Era and ending with the extinction of dinosaurs, except birds. (CNN) Unlike most dinosaurs, it seems that spinosaurs liked the water.

What are some facts about the spinosaurs?

Spinosaurs were a unique group of large-bodied theropods historically interpreted as nearshore waders that fed on fish along the margins of bodies of water. Bigger than both Tyrannosaurus rex and Giganotosaurus, they lived during the Cretaceous era — between 145.5 and 65.5 million years ago.

What is Spinosaurus aegyptiacus?

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus is an extinct species of theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now North Africa, from approximately 112-93.5 million years ago (upper Albian to upper Turonian stages of the Cretaceous Period). It is without a doubt, one of the most famous dinosaurs on the planet.

Can the Spinosaurus tail shape predict swimming potential?

Researchers tested the swimming potential of the Spinosaurus tail shape by comparing it to the tails of two terrestrial dinosaurs, two semiaquatic tetrapods and a physical control. A large caudal vertebra from the anterior section of the tail.