Spinosaurus Becomes the First Known Swimming Dinosaur

Researchers have discovered that Spinosaurus aegyptiacus had a "paddle-like" tail to propel itself through the water – bolstering the case that this particular species of dinosaur was capable of aquatic movement. National Geographic reports that the fossilised tail of the Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, unearthed in southern Morocco, provides fresh insight into how the 50-foot-long, seven-ton predator may have lived in an underwater habitat.

A newfound fossil tail is changing what we know about Spinosaurus—and stretching our understanding of how and where dinosaurs lived. For more iconic storytelling like this, subscribe to National Geographic: https://t.co/wUHbBSAkyF pic.twitter.com/KsoHk0qBJe

— National Geographic (@NatGeo) April 29, 2020

According to the study, published in the journal Nature, Spinosaurus had a, "tail with an unexpected and unique shape" made up of "extremely tall neural spines and elongate chevrons" to form "a large, flexible fin-like organ." The study described the results as, "the most extreme aquatic adaptation ever seen in a large dinosaur." "The Spinosaurus' fin-like tail is a game-changing discovery for us that fundamentally alters our understanding of how this dinosaur lived and hunted – it was actually a 'river-monster,'" Davin Unwin, a reader in Palaeobiology at the University of Leicester, said in a statement. "Not only did dinosaurs dominate the land and take to the air as birds, they even went back into the water and became the top predators there, as well." [caption id="attachment_2345869" align="alignnone" width="2200"] Image Credit: Jason Treat, NG Staff, and Mesa Schumacher / Art: Davide Bonadonna / Source: Nizar Ibrahim, University of Detroit Mercy[/caption] Many will recall that the Spinosaurus featured prominently in the 2001 movie Jurassic Park III. For years, this fictional portrayal has been surrounded by unconfirmed theories that the dinosaur was a semiaquatic predator, but researchers say that this new study should finally put any lingering doubts about it to rest. "This discovery is the nail in the coffin for the idea that non-avian dinosaurs never invaded the aquatic realm," explained Dr Nizar Ibrahim, who led the project. "This dinosaur was actively pursuing prey in the water column, not just standing in shallow waters waiting for fish to swim by. It probably spent most of its life in the water." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-deaths-in-the-jurassic-park-movies&captions=true"] For more dinosaur discoveries and developments, read about the complete skull of the smallest known dinosaur that was found preserved in amber, find out about the new tyrannosaur species, dubbed "Reaper of Death" by scientists, and take a look at a recent study that suggests mercury contamination occurred prior to dinosaur extinction. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

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