This giant dino may have been the first to adapt to an aquatic lifestyle

By Amanda HeidtApr. 29, 2020 , 5:20 PM

Researchers have uncovered the first example of a large dinosaur adapting to life in the water. The saillike fin and crocodilian snout of a Spinosaurus skeleton discovered in Morocco had led scientists to believe the animal was at least semiaquatic. Now, a nearly complete tail supports that early assessment, researchers report today in Nature. Spinosaurus (pictured) had noninterlocking tail vertebrae with supporting spines nearly 0.6 meters long, resulting in a paddlelike appendage capable of generating eight times the forward thrust of nonaquatic dinosaurs, National Geographic reports. This discovery is a significant boost to known dinosaur diversity, as Spinosaurus belongs to a completely different lineage of “true dinosaurs” distinct from other popular water-loving species such as Ichthyosaur.

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/giant-dino-may-have-been-first-adapt-aquatic-lifestyle?utm_campaign=news_daily_2020-04-29&et_rid=49261787&et_cid=3307615