In Images: Digging Up a Swimming Dinosaur Called Spinosaurus

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Digging up a Spinosaurus

In the Kem Kem beds of eastern Morocco , Nizar Ibrahim , a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Chicago , and colleagues discovered what finish up being a partial skeleton in the cupboard of the dinosaurSpinosaurus aegyptiacus . An analysis of the pearl divulge the beast was adapted to an aquatic lifestyle . Here , paleontologists David Martill , Ibrahim , Paul Sereno and Cristiano Dal Sasso at the field site in eastern Morocco , from leave behind to right hand ) , with a partial spine of Spinosaurus in the foreground . [ scan full story ]

Kem Kem Beds

paleontologist deal part in anexpedition led by Nizar Ibrahim scour the Cretaceous rock-and-roll ofthe Kem Kem part of southeast Morocco , where the fond frame of Spinosaurus wasfound . [ interpret full report ]

Spinosaurus spine

Paleontologists Nizar Ibrahim and David Martill study a spine fragment of Spinosaurus institute in southeastern Morocco . [ Read full story ]

Morocco

The Kem Kem area of southeastern Morocco where a partial skeletal frame of the dinosaurSpinosaurus aegyptiacuswas discovered . [ record full story ]

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus

Spinosaurus was larger than all other carnivorous dinosaurs , including the despotic T. rex , and on its back it lark a sail of fleshy sticker taller than a grown man . corpse of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus had been found in Egypt and Morocco dating to the Upper Cretaceous Period .

Spinosaurus

German paleontologist named Ernst Stromer first described Spinosaurus in 1915 after finding some of the beast ’s bone , including backbones with lengthy acantha , in Egypt . In April 1944 , his entire aggregation , including Spinosaurus , was destroyed in an Allied Royal Air Force bombing of Munich .

Spinosaurus skeleton

Combining the newfound bones with Stromer ’s drawings and other Spinosaurus bone from museums around the world , Ibrahim and colleagues create a digital modelling of the fauna ’s skeleton and its pellucid flesh outline . Color codification are used to show the origin of different parts of the digital skeletal model . [ Read full floor ]

Built to swim

Based on the skeleton ( reconstructive memory , shown here ) , researchers thinkSpinosaurus aegyptiacuswould have sliced through the water in a river system in what is now Africa , snatch fish in its cone - shaped interlock tooth .

Spinosaurus skull

Skull Reconstruction Period of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus showing discovered bones . Skull bones that are know in S. aegyptiacus are shown in blue . [ study full story ]

Spinosaurus Skeletal Reconstruction

graphics by Scott Hartman unveil the bone structure of Spinosaurus .

Paleontologists David Martill, Nizar Ibrahim, Paul Sereno and Cristiano Dal Sasso at a field site at the Kem Kem beds of eastern Morocco, from left to right), with a partial spine of Spinosaurus can be seen in the foreground.

Paleontologists taking part in an expedition led by Nizar Ibrahim scour the Cretaceous rocks of the Kem Kem region of southeastern Morocco, where the partial skeleton of Spinosaurus was found.

Paleontologists Nizar Ibrahim and David Martill examine a spine fragment of Spinosaurus found in southeastern Morocco.

The Kem Kem region of southeastern Morocco.

spinosaurus

Digital skeletal reconstruction and transparent flesh outline of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus.

skeletal reconstruction of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus.

Skull reconstruction of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus showing discovered bones. Skull bones that are known in S. aegyptiacus are shown in blue.

Artwork by Scott Hartman reveals the bone structure of Spinosaurus.

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