New Spinosaurus fossil found - It spent most of its life in the water!
50 replies, posted
[IMG]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77498000/jpg/_77498610_spinosaurus_ngm_102014_superjaws_108to110.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77498000/jpg/_77498996_ibrahim6hr.jpg[/IMG]
Look at those stumpy little legs!
[QUOTE]A giant fossil, unearthed in the Sahara desert, has given scientists an unprecedented look at the largest-known carnivorous dinosaur: Spinosaurus.
The 95-million-year-old remains confirm a long-held theory: that this is the first-known swimming dinosaur.
Scientists say the beast had flat, paddle-like feet and nostrils on top of its crocodilian head that would allow it to submerge with ease.
The research is published in the journal Science.
Lead author Nizar Ibrahim, a palaeontologist from the University of Chicago, said: "It is a really bizarre dinosaur - there's no real blueprint for it.
"It has a long neck, a long trunk, a long tail, a 7ft (2m) sail on its back and a snout like a crocodile.
"And when we look at the body proportions, the animal was clearly not as agile on land as other dinosaurs were, so I think it spent a substantial amount of time in the water."[/QUOTE]
So that scene in Jurassic Park 3 where the Spino chases Dr Grant and pals in the river was the most scientifically accurate scene in the film! :v:
Source:
[URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29143096"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29143096[/URL]
More Info and a cool video:
[URL="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/09/140911-spinosaurus-fossil-discovery-dinosaur-science/"]http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/09/140911-spinosaurus-fossil-discovery-dinosaur-science/[/URL]
what a terrifying creature
That's fucking cool.
So it's basically just a very conspicuous crocodile?
It's cool how much we've learnt about dinosaurs In the past 20 so years.
Terrifying bastards.
I somehow knew spinosaurus would make more sense being quadrupedal, and I've heard tons of talk about the irregular sail, but I wasn't expecting the teeny tiny legs, it's almost cute :v: And did it really have webbed feet? Wow, I wasn't expecting that from such a big creature.
Also, swimming dinosaurs exist already; look at ducks, penguins, grebes, gulls, cormorants, etc...
[QUOTE=squids_eye;45955619]So it's basically just a very conspicuous crocodile?[/QUOTE]
A very [I]fabulous [/I]crocodile.
Imagine seeing several of them swimming in a lake, it would look like a little flotilla of sailing boats!
I am picturing one of these swimming towards me with non-diegetic Jaws theme music playing.
So what, did it use it's gigantic back as a sail or something?
Makes you really wonder. What are the things about dinosaurs that we'll never discover?
There's room for a lot of speculation... and conspiracy theories. [B]Oviraptors are our reptile overlords.[/B]
But seriously though. Their behaviour patterns are lost to us forever. Unless time machines.
[QUOTE=Karmah;45955698]So what, did it use it's gigantic back as a sail or something?[/QUOTE]
Scientists theorize it used it's spines as a method of controlling it's body temperature. It would supposedly absorb heat through it's spines, similar to how modern lizards will bask and absorb sunlight.
Hahahah[B]hahahaha[I]hahahaha[U]HAHAHAHA[/U][/I][/B]
EAT SHIT JURASSIC PARK 3!
No but seriously
This is fantastic news, and I'm relieved to finally have some more light on Spinosaurus. Super glad there's lots of dinosaur news these days.
what made illustrators and reconstructors mess up the size of its hind legs until now? didn't we just have intact enough fossils of them?
awwww, what cute tiny legs.
[QUOTE=Joazzz;45955736]what made illustrators and reconstructors mess up the size of its hind legs until now? didn't we just have intact enough fossils of them?[/QUOTE]
Basically that, iirc:
The issue was that we [I]did[/I] have fossils of them before, and that the creature was downright [I]huge[/I], roughly 40' in length. We thought it was a gigantic predator, but the jaws didn't make a whole lot of sense. Most theropods (dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor, etc.) in the Cretaceous started having beefy jaws, especially when getting to sizes like this.
Now, I guess we know it ate fish.
[QUOTE=Joazzz;45955736]what made illustrators and reconstructors mess up the size of its hind legs until now? didn't we just have intact enough fossils of them?[/QUOTE]
Yes, we didn't have the fossils, and given the fact that Spinosaurus is the largest theropod dinosaur yet discovered it made sense that it would have longer legs than the other large theropod dinosaurs (Giganotosaurus, T. Rex etc).
[QUOTE=Zillamaster55;45955769]Basically that, iirc:
The issue was that we [I]did[/I] have fossils of them before, and that the creature was downright [I]huge[/I], roughly 40' in length. We thought it was a gigantic predator, but the jaws didn't make a whole lot of sense. Most theropods (dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor, etc.) in the Cretaceous started having beefy jaws, especially when getting to sizes like this.
Now, I guess we know it ate fish.[/QUOTE]
I believe that until now definite fossils from the hind limbs of a Spinosaurus have never been discovered... but maybe you meant that and I've misread.
But could it beat a T Rex?
Wait for the Utahraptor paper to come out, that's some weird animal right there too.
[QUOTE=RR_Raptor65;45955782]Wait for the Utahraptor paper to come out, that's some weird animal right there too.[/QUOTE]
You have piqued my interest...go on?
[editline]11th September 2014[/editline]
[QUOTE=heyitsdan;45955772]
I believe that until now definite fossils from the hind limbs of a Spinosaurus have never been discovered... but maybe you meant that and I've misread.[/QUOTE]
Basically that, yeah. We had big bones, big size, but the jaws were an odd fit.
From what I've seen of it, it's got a bit of the Masiakasaurus thing going on with the duck-faced jawline.
[QUOTE=RR_Raptor65;45955782]Wait for the Utahraptor paper to come out, that's some weird animal right there too.[/QUOTE]
I'm also eager to know what the hell is up with it, rumours have been flying around for a while and it's killing me
[QUOTE=RR_Raptor65;45955822]From what I've seen of it, it's got a bit of the Masiakasaurus thing going on with the duck-faced jawline.[/QUOTE]
How come we did not know this until now? Haven't Utahraptor skulls been unearthed already?
Checked wikipedia... apparently not!
[QUOTE]The holotype specimen of Utahraptor is fragmentary, consisting of skull fragments, a tibia, claws and some caudal (tail) vertebrae. [/QUOTE]
Damn, and I thought that whole scene in JP3 was considered by most paleontologists to be bullshit.
[QUOTE=heyitsdan;45955866]How come we did not know this until now? Haven't Utahraptor skulls been unearthed already?
Checked wikipedia... apparently not![/QUOTE]
Yeah, either there's been a study or a new specimen has been found (The latter I think, it's been awhile since I've heard anything about it), but the paper is still on someone's desk.
hahahaha go fuck yourself jack horner
[editline]11th September 2014[/editline]
(i dont know if hes actually reputable or not im just making a very funny reference to jack horner suggesting to spielburg that the spinosaurus would ick the t rexs ass its just a silly gag)
[QUOTE=AlienFanatic;45955970]i dont know if hes actually reputable or not[/QUOTE]
I'd say no. The dude hates Tyrannosaurus, and constantly pushed the "T. Rex is a scavenger" and would fund the shit out of that idea to the point of it being mainstream.
His opinions on Ontogeny are okay, but otherwise I don't like him
[editline]11th September 2014[/editline]
Also:
Rugops primus for best dinosaur
[QUOTE=AlienFanatic;45955970]hahahaha go fuck yourself jack horner
[editline]11th September 2014[/editline]
(i dont know if hes actually reputable or not im just making a very funny reference to jack horner suggesting to spielburg that the spinosaurus would ick the t rexs ass its just a silly gag)[/QUOTE]
After tons of scientific evidence proving him wrong, I believe he later admitted what he said was wrong and that he should've done more research. I'm not so sure if he actually believes that though.
Here's a video showing his [B]extremely inaccurate[/B] views on Spinosaurus.
[video=youtube;RViCbyGIKEo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RViCbyGIKEo[/video]
Horner is a bit odd is all. He gets pissed at T. rex because he'll be out looking for Triceratops fossils and find nothing but T. rex. He's actually backed off on the T. rex scavenger thing lately.
Either way, it's safe to say JP3 is a result of bad design and executive meddling, not Jack Horner being vindictive.
[QUOTE=RR_Raptor65;45956042]Horner is a bit odd is all. He gets pissed at T. rex because he'll be out looking for Triceratops fossils and find nothing but T. rex. He's actually backed off on the T. rex scavenger thing lately.
Either way, it's safe to say JP3 is a result of bad design and executive meddling, not Jack Horner being vindictive.[/QUOTE]
Fingers crossed that JP4 is an improvement!
My History of Vertibrates professor says birds don't exist and dinosaurs never died out.
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