Overview
- An international team led by the University of Chicago’s Paul Sereno formally described Spinosaurus mirabilis in Science on Feb. 19 after fieldwork at a remote Sahara site in Niger.
- Fossils from the Jenguebi locality sit 500–1,000 kilometers from ancient shorelines within river sediments, indicating an inland, forested habitat consistent with wading behavior.
- The species bears a roughly 50-centimeter, scimitar-shaped head crest with vascularized bone consistent with a keratin sheath used for visual display.
- Interdigitating upper and lower teeth formed a fish‑trap configuration, signaling extreme specialization for catching large, slippery prey such as coelacanths.
- Multiple individuals were recovered during 2019 and 2022 expeditions guided by a local Tuareg; fossils are slated for Niger’s Museum of the River, with a colorful crest replica to debut at the Chicago Children’s Museum on March 1.