Spinosaurus: Scientists announce discovery in Portugal

Scientists announce discovery of new species of Spinosaurus

This news was recently announced a new discovery regarding some fossils that were found more than 20 years ago.

The discovery was made thanks to research work carried out by the NOVA School of Science and Technology and the Lourinhã Museum, in Portugal.

According to an article published in the journal Plos One – a scientific journal in online format – on February 16, authors Octávio Mateus and Darío Estraviz-López spoke a little more about the fossils studied.

In addition, they also explain their findings and talk about why they believed the fossils belonged to a new species of Spinosaurus.

In this project, the researchers and scientists responsible were analyzing the fossils found at the end of the 90s, near Cabo Espichel, also in Portugal.

After being the subject of research for years, scientists had come to the conclusion.

The fossils in question were part of a single species of Spinosaurus – known to the scientific community as Baryonyx walkeri.

But it was only after re-examining the available fossils – which included dorsal vertebrae, rib fragments, a pubic shaft, tooth fragments, a partial right scapula, a phalanx and dorsal neural arches – that the possible 'mistake' was discovered.

And this resulted in the way the species ended up being cataloged.

Furthermore, the scientists responsible for the new discovery were also able to discover a unique bony crest on the pubis of the new species.

This factor was also decisive when purchasing with the muscular characteristics seen in the Spinosaurus classified as Baryonyx walkeri possessed.

This led to the discovery of a new species of Spinosaurus.

What did the Spinosaurus look like?

In order for the identification to be made, the scientists responsible analyzed the nerves present in the animal's jaw.

It was from a small difference between this new species of dinosaur that they were able to determine that it was different from the species they already knew.

According to the tests carried out, this new species of Spinosaurus – which was named Iberospinus natarioi – is a creature that would have lived about 125 million years ago.

Furthermore, studies indicate that the species would be around 9 meters long.

Speaking like this, it might even be difficult to imagine what this animal would be like, right?

To make it easier to see, it is worth remembering that the Spinosaurus species was one of the featured dinosaurs in the third film in the Jurassic World franchise.

Released in 2001, the film gave a lot of attention to the Spinosaurus. Check out a photo of this animal below.

Learn more about Spinosaurus

Taking into account everything that is known about the Spinosaurus – and about the fossils of other dinosaurs that have already been discovered and catalogued – so far, the scientists responsible can state that the Spinosaurus can be considered a large predator of the period in which it existed.

A predator beyond menacing

The species had a good body structure, which included large hind legs, small arms, a long tail and a head that closely resembled that of a crocodile.

The Spinosaurus is considered one of the largest carnivorous animals that have ever walked the planet Earth throughout history.

As mentioned earlier in the text, Spinosaurus lived around 125 million years ago.

This means that this deadly predator was part of the Mesozoic period.

The name given to this new species of Spinosaurus

Another piece of information about the existence of Spinosaurus is about where it lived.

Taking into account the locations where the fossils were found, the dinosaur must have lived in Africa and even in some parts of Europe and Great Britain – more specifically in the Iberian Peninsula.

This information even influenced the 'naming' of this new species of Spinosaurus.

So much so that the official name of this new species was Iberospinus natarioi.

It was named in honor of the Iberian Peninsula – the place where the fossils were discovered – and Carlos Natário, the amateur archaeologist responsible for finding the fossils.

The habits of Spinosaurus

Another point that draws a lot of attention about the Spinosaurus is in relation to its habits and behaviors.

Apparently, despite having an excellent physical structure for a terrestrial animal, the Spinosaurus had the habit of spending most of its time in the water.

However, to hunt his prey, he preferred to carry out the task on dry land, since with his physical size, carrying out his hunts on land would be much easier.

But he could also hunt in water.

It is worth remembering that information about this species is not yet 100% accurate.

As a very small number of fossils have been found – compared to so many other species that we know about – it is still not possible to define with certainty the living and hunting habits of this animal with such precision.

Conclusion

As you can see, despite the similarities between the two species, a closer look and a series of studies confirmed the existence of a new species.

Now that the difference between the species is known, new studies must be carried out.

This will make it possible to understand more clearly the habits that this new species had.

And it will also become clearer what its role was during the period in which this dinosaur walked the Earth.

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Ivan February 28, 2022