Suchomimus tenerensis
Source: http://www.jurassicworld-movie.com/community/forums/topic/25346
Name: Suchomimus tenerensis
Name Meaning: Crocodile mimic
First Described: 1998
Described by: Sereno et al.
Classification: Dinosauria, Saurischia, Theropoda, neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Megalosauroidea, Megalosauria, Spinosauridae, Baryonychinae
Suchomimus is another very distinctive spinosaurid dinosaur, living 121-112 million years ago in the late Aptian stage of the early Cretaceous. It was found in the Elhraz Formation in Niger, Egypt. Originally described as Baryonyx, it has since been named its own distinct, though closely related genus. Suchomimus was a vital discovery in that it lends insight into the shape of its relative Spinosaurus, about whom we know relatively little given the destruction of the original specimen. Suchomimus, as well as Baryonyx, helped to give Spinosaurus the more accurate, crocodile-like skull, unlike the Megalosaur-like skull it was once rendered with. Furthermore, Suchomimus served as the link between Baryonyx and Spinosaurus in terms of evolutionary relationship, given its sail structure and geographical range similarity to Spinosaurus, but other morphology and diet similarity to Baryonyx. There is still debate on whether or not Baryonyx is the same genus as Suchomimus, as there is potential that Baryonyx was actually a juvenile individual, given its small size; if, as adults, Baryonyx grew spines like Suchomimus and Spinosaurus, this would rekindle the debate on the subject of classification.
Source: http://elijahsdinoworld.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/suchominus-creature-of-the-day/
Suchomimus was in between Baryonyx and Spinosaurus in size, about 11 meters in length; however, the original fossil was potentially a subadult, and adult Suchomimus probably could reach to lengths of up to 12 meters. It was tall enough to stand up in two meter high water to catch fish. It was, as most spinosaurids, a semi-aquatic individual, living in river deltas and lagoons while hunting for fish. It used its long snout and distinctly shaped jaw to catch fish, the long thin teeth able to seize slippery prey, catching them even more firmly in the notch in the jaw. It is very probable, however, that Suchomimus did not only feed on fish; there are very few other major predators in the area and it is highly likely that it also hunted other dinosaurs and pterosaurs, or even just scavenged the remains.
Source: http://tomozaurus.deviantart.com/art/Suchomimus-in-fluffy-glory-307697295
Suchomimus had large claws on its hands, a common feature of spinosaurids, allowing it to grip both fish and small dinosaurs such as Ouranosaurus. The purpose as to the spines is still under much debate; with the major candidates being thermoregulation in a sail, or a hump that could have served as food storage, or either for display purposes. The spines were very robust, lending credence to the hump theory, rather than the sail theory. It is possible that sails later evolved from a hump that was selected for its ability to store food in tough conditions, which for a mainly piscivorous groups, would have occurred whenever there was drought. It was very similar overall to the body plan of South American spinosaurids, such as Irritator; given that the two continents (Africa and South America) were close enough to allow land bridges, it is not ridiculous to suppose the animals would have crossed over in the Early Cretaceous. While it is highly unlikely that any spinosaurid had feathers, given the evidence for protofeathers being a synapomorphy for all of Dinosauria, it is possible that Suchomimus had some as well.
Source: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=97279
Sources:
http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/s/suchomimus.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suchomimus
Dixon, Dougal. The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures. Anness Publishing, 2014
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