The Great Angler of the Cretaceous

About this drawing

The idea of a fishing spinosaurus is no fantasy, because this giant was the most water-adapted dinosaur we know of. It lived about 95 million years ago in North Africa, back when today's Sahara was a huge network of rivers and marshes teeming with life.

Its head looked more like a crocodile's than a T-Rex's. The long, narrow snout held cone-shaped teeth, perfect for gripping slippery prey. Its nostrils sat far back on the snout, so it could dip the front of its jaws in the water and still breathe.

Recent discoveries added new pieces to the puzzle. Its bones were very dense, as in penguins and hippos, which helps with staying underwater. A fossil tail also turned out to be shaped like a paddle. Scientists are still debating the details. Some picture it swimming after prey, while others see it wading in the shallows like a giant heron.

Those waters were no lazy fishing hole. They held huge fish, like coelacanths and giant sawfish, along with very large crocodiles that competed for the same food. Other big predators hunted nearby on land as well. Specializing in fish gave spinosaurus a menu of its own, a smart move in a very crowded neighborhood.

• dinosaurs
• spinosaurus
• rivers
• africa