Spinosaurus may have been the largest carnosaur ever to have walked the earth. Spinosaur skeletons recovered to date indicate that this dinosaur was the longest from nose to tail than any other carnosaurs. Spinosaurs grew to be 40 to 56 feet long or 12 to 17 meters. It had a body structure similar to T-rex, but was not built as powerfully as either T-rex or Gigantosaurus the two other contenders for largest carnosaur. So the debate about the largest carnosaur can continue.
Whats In A Name?
Spinosaurus means “spiny lizard”. This comes from the large spines that extend from the vertebrae along its back. These spines could be up to six feet long. It is commonly thought that these spines were covered by a membrane of skin to form a sail like fin. This may have been used to help regulate body heat. There is some evidence to suggest that the sail was able to be extended or at least partially collapsed.
The First Spinosaurus
Ernst Stromer, a German paleontologist discovered the first and most complete specimen in Egypt in 1912. He named it Spinosaurus Aegyptiacus. Unfortunatly this spinosaur skeleton was destroyed during the bombing of Munich in World War II. Other spinosaur skeletons have been found since then but so far none have been as complete as this first find.
The Spinosaurus Habitat In North Africa
Most spinosaurus finds have been from the Sahara Desert in North Africa. Finds have also been reported from South America. Morocco has produced more than its fair share of spinosaur skeletons. Spinosaurus lived about 100 million years ago in the early part of the Cretaceous Period. North Africa was much more a tropical climate than at present. There were rivers, lakes, and wetlands in what is now the Sahara Desert.
Spinosaurus Teeth
Spinosaurus had a long snout. Its jaws were full of long sharply pointed teeth. Unlike the T-rex, spinosaur teeth are not serrated but smooth and round along the length. Because the upper and lower teeth interlock much like a crocodile some researchers believe that spinosaurs ate fish. It is believed that spinosaurs could continually replace teeth as they wore out or broke off.
A Quick Guide to Buying Spinosaurus Teeth
Spinosaur teeth are a great value for the collectors of dinosaur teeth. This is especially true for carnosaurs. I saw a 2 inch T-rex tooth for sale today at $3,995.
Carcharodontosaurus teeth start at around $45 for a good quality 1 inch tooth. Nice 2 – 3 inch teeth go for $200 to $400.
By contrast a perfect 3 inch spinosaurus tooth may sell for $200 or more. These are somewhat rare because spinosaur teeth are fragile and often break during excavation. Good quality 3 inch teeth can be found for under $100. Good quality 1 – 2 inch teeth can be found from $10 to $60. With the smaller teeth more money does not necessarily mean better teeth. Shop around. Look at the pictures and read the descriptions. You are comparing size, completeness, and the condition of the enamel.
For those whose collection needs to stay within a budget carefully repaired teeth might be the answer. Well done repairs are almost invisible and repaired teeth are less expensive usually by far.
You may also find that an impressive 2 – 4 inch spinosaurus tooth with a worn tip or chipped enamel can be found for $15 to $30. We have some of these teeth at Fossilicious.com follow this link: Buy spinosaurus teeth
