The ‘Spinosaurus aegyptiacus’, a dinosaur could swim – RTVE

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Drawing of the skull of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus found in the region of Kem Kem, Morocco. EFE / Davide Bonadonna, and Ibrahim / Science

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Drawing in which reconstructs a Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. EFE / Tyler Keillor, Lauren Conroy, and Erin Fitzgerald, Ibrahim et al. / Science

EFE / Elvira Palomo

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus , a predatory dinosaur from the Cretaceous of more than 15 meters long, is the only known of its kind able to live and hunt in the water , as has been found by an international team of scientists.

This dinosaur, who could swim, had a limbs relatively small for its size and a narrow jaw and elongated with sharp teeth.

This has been revealed analysis digitized fossil bones of the species, which also shows that the animal had a series of “unique adaptations” that allowed him to develop into the aquatic environment and the land, as published on Thursday the team led by paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim of the University of Chicago in Science .

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus was discovered in the early twentieth century in the Sahara desert , in Egypt, but the study of their morphology could not be completed because the fossils were destroyed in a bombing during World War II.

However, the finding from 2008 a series of more complete fossils in the region Kem Kem, Morocco , has allowed this species to revisit with more elements. These include parts of a skull, the axial column, pelvic limbs and debris strip.

An aquatic dinosaur

According to the research conducted, the Spinosaurus aegyptiacus could retract his nostrils to a position above the head to facilitate breathing when he was partially submerged, and had flat feet, possibly webbed, with which believe that helped propel the water .

The Spinosaurus could breathe when he was partially submerged

Dinosaur had a neurovascular openings at the end of the snout, similar to those crocodiles, pressure receptors make it possible to detect movements in the water , and the structure of its tail to bend allowed make a wave, similar to those which help propel some bony fish.

The dinosaur was about particularly dense bones , without the bone cavities typical of predatory dinosaurs, likening it more to other aquatic animals.

Reconstruction of Spinosaurus

Researchers they used the fossils found in Morocco to create a digital model of a Spinosaurus aegyptiacus adult, would have more than 15 meters long, spent much of their time in the water, feeding sharks and fish, and needed all four limbs to walk when he was on earth.

Scientists were surprised of the “unusual proportions” Dinosaur

“What surprised us most was their unusual size proportions. We have seen these proportions tips on early whales, not predatory dinosaurs, “stated Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago (EE. UU.).

To document the aquatic adaptations hitherto unknown, also partial bony structures analyzed other Spinosaurus distributed in museums and private collections around the world and preserved images of the first issue discovered by paleontologist . Ernst Freiherr Stromer German

“In the last two decades, several findings showed that some dinosaurs gave rise to birds; Spinosaurus represent an evolutionary process just as strange , “said Cristiano dal Sasso, the Natural History Museum of Milan (Italy).

Find “reveals that predatory dinosaurs were adapted to semi-aquatic life and invaded rivers in the Cretaceous in North Africa,” he added.

Researchers do not know whether this dinosaur was a loner or non-animal and now want learn more about the natatorium predator movement.

“The animal we have reconstructed is so strange that will force experts to rethink many things they thought knew about dinosaurs, “stated in a conference paleontologist at the University of Chicago, Nizar Ibrahim, who led the research team.

The research will be the focus of many October National Geographic , which has an exhibition dedicated to the predator at its headquarters in Washington.