The lifestyle of Spinosaurus

Abstract

The mid-Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Morocco contains an overabundance of giant theropod dinosaurs, including Spinosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus—both longer than Tyrannosaurus. Compared to modern and other Mesozoic continental ecosystems, in which herbivores represent most of the vertebrate biomass, predators are overrepresented in the mid-Cretaceous of North Africa. The reason is thought to be niche partitioning, with Spinosaurus being semi or perhaps even fully aquatic with other large theropods having a more traditional lifestyle. These conclusions are based on evidence from stable isotopes, skeletal anatomy and biomechanical studies which we will discuss in this article.