Paleontologists have announced the discovery of a new Spinosaurus species, Spinosaurus mirabilis, in the Sahara Desert of Niger, the first significant cranial material found in over a century. The discovery, made in 2022 and published this week in Science, involved a team of 29 scientists from five countries. Paul Sereno, the renowned American paleontologist leading the expedition, described the skull fragments as “the jackpot,” emphasizing their extreme rarity and fragility.
Spinosaurus mirabilis, a carnivorous dinosaur measuring approximately 13 meters in length and weighing six to seven tons, had specialized interlocking teeth adapted for catching fish and a prominent crest on its skull that likely served as a visual display rather than a hunting tool. The species also possessed the signature dorsal sail of spinosaurids, confirming that these features were ornamental. Morphological analyses comparing the skull, neck, and limbs to 43 modern and extinct predators suggest that these dinosaurs were shallow-water fish hunters, similar to herons, rather than fully aquatic predators like crocodiles.
The expedition faced extreme challenges. The team spent three months in harsh desert conditions, with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius, limited access to potable water, and threats from snakes, scorpions, logistical failures, and political unrest. Local authorities provided a 64-person armed guard to protect the site from treasure hunters. Spanish paleontologist Daniel Vidal played a key role in the excavation, supported by other young scientists including Ana Lázaro, Álvaro Simarro, María Ciudad Real, and Noelia Sánchez Fontela, whose contributions ranged from geologic expertise to detailed 3D analysis of the skull crest and reconstruction of the extinct ecosystem.
The fossils reveal that Spinosaurus mirabilis lived far from the coast, in riverine environments rich in freshwater fish and large herbivores. Sereno plans to return the fossils to Niger after study in Chicago and establish two museums there, along with an institute to train local paleontologists, archaeologists, and museum professionals. Spinosaurus mirabilis joins an emerging catalog of African dinosaurs that includes other large carnivores, new sauropods, a small burrowing predator, an armored crocodile, a giant fish, and additional newly identified species.
