Desert Titan Rewrites Spinosaurus Story: 40-Foot Predator Hunted in Sahara Shallows
Paleontologists describe Spinosaurus mirabilis, a roughly 40-foot carnivorous dinosaur from Niger’s Sahara dating to about 95 million years ago, with a distinctive 20-inch skull crest and a jaw setup optimized for catching fish. Found at the Jenguebi site, about 300–600 miles from the nearest ancient shoreline, the fossils suggest a shallow-water, ambush-hunting lifestyle rather than a fully aquatic marine predator, challenging long-held views of Spinosaurus and implying the genus included both inland waders and possible aquatic specialists. This discovery marks the second species in the Spinosaurus genus and underscores a more versatile, environment-spanning lifestyle for these dinosaurs.