New specimens of the unusual theropod Spinosaurus cf. S. aegyptiacus from the Late Cretaceous (early Cenomanian) of Morocco reveal new information about the structure of the snout and the very large adult body size attained by the species. The external naris is retracted farther caudally on the snout than in other spinosaurids and is bordered exclusively by the maxilla and nasal. The fused nasals preserve a longitudinal, fluted crest. The size of the snout suggests that Spinosaurus may well have exceeded the maximum adult body size of other large Cretaceous theropods such as Tyrannosaurus and Giganotosaurus. The new material also supports the monophyly of the Spinosaurinae and the separation of Spinosaurus and Irritator.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 December 2005
NEW INFORMATION ON THE SKULL OF THE ENIGMATIC THEROPOD SPINOSAURUS, WITH REMARKS ON ITS SIZE AND AFFINITIES
CRISTIANO DAL SASSO,
SIMONE MAGANUCO,
ERIC BUFFETAUT,
MARCO A. MENDEZ
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
Vol. 25 • No. 4
December 2005
Vol. 25 • No. 4
December 2005