Newly discovered dinosaur species was a fish-eater with a huge horn
#Spinosaurus mirabilis#dinosaur discovery#semi-aquatic dinosaur#Niger#fish-eating predator#horned dinosaur#Cretaceous period#University of Chicago
📌 Key Takeaways
International team discovered Spinosaurus mirabilis in Niger
New species was a semi-aquatic fish-eater with distinctive horn
Lived 95 million years ago in what is now Sahara desert
First new Spinosaurus species in over 100 years
Horn may have been brightly colored and used for communication
📖 Full Retelling
An international team of scientists led by paleontologists from the University of Chicago announced the discovery of a new dinosaur species Spinosaurus mirabilis in Niger on February 22, 2026, revealing a massive semi-aquatic predator that hunted fish and featured an impressive horn on its skull, the first new species of Spinosaurus discovered in over 100 years. The Spinosaurus mirabilis, which lived approximately 95 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, was as long as a school bus and inhabited marshy inland areas in what is now the Sahara desert. The team discovered the species during expeditions in 2019 and 2022, unearthing several specimens at a remote dig site in the desert. Lead author Paul Sereno compared the dinosaur's hunting behavior to that of herons, suggesting it primarily fished in shallow waters about 3 feet deep, though it was large enough to stand in 6 feet of water without floating. The rivers of its time contained many large fish, some measuring up to 9 feet in length, which would have provided substantial food for this massive predator. The most distinctive feature of Spinosaurus mirabilis is a foot-long curved horn protruding from its skull, which differs from its previously discovered cousins. The researchers speculate that this horn or crest may have been brightly colored based on the fossil texture and potentially used for communication or attracting mates, adding complexity to our understanding of Spinosaurus dinosaurs and their aquatic adaptations.
The Cretaceous (IPA: krih-TAY-shəss) is a geologic period that lasted from about 143.1 to 66 Ma (million years ago). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 77.1 million years, it is the ninth and longest geological period of the entire Phanerozoic.
Spinosaurus mirabilis (lit. 'astonishing spine lizard') is an extinct species of the large spinosaurid theropod dinosaur Spinosaurus, known from the Late Cretaceous Farak Formation of Niger. The species was named and described in 2026, based on various cranial and postcranial bones collected in two ...
Niger, officially the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin and Burkina Faso to the southwest, Mali to the west, and Algeria to the northwest. It covers a land area of almost ...
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, UChi, or U of C) is a private research university in the Hyde Park community area of Chicago, Illinois, United States.
The university is composed of an undergraduate college and four graduate research divisions: the Arts & Humanities Division, the Biolog...
This discovery is significant because it represents the first new Spinosaurus species identified in over a century, expanding our understanding of dinosaur diversity. It provides fresh evidence about the varied aquatic adaptations of these predators and challenges previous assumptions about their swimming abilities.
Context & Background
Spinosaurus were large fish-eating predators from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods
The new species Spinosaurus mirabilis was discovered in Niger and dates to about 95 million years ago
It had a distinctive foot-long horn on its skull, possibly used for display
It lived in marshy inland areas that are now part of the Sahara desert
What Happens Next
Paleontologists will continue studying the fossils to learn more about the species' anatomy and behavior. The findings may lead to revised models of Spinosaurus ecology and inspire further excavations in the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big was Spinosaurus mirabilis?
It was about the length of a school bus.
What was the purpose of the horn?
Scientists speculate it may have been used for communication or attracting mates.
Where was the dinosaur found?
It was unearthed at a dig site in Niger, in the central Sahara.
Original Source
NPR Science LISTEN & FOLLOW NPR App Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music iHeart Radio YouTube Music RSS link Sign up for the Newsletter Get perks with [Podcast Title]+ Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed. LEARN MORE --> Science Newly discovered dinosaur species was a fish-eater with a huge horn February 22, 2026 8:10 PM ET Rebecca Hersher Paleontologists Paul Sereno and Dan Vidal take notes on a massive hind limb of a new long-necked dinosaur, its femur measuring nearly 2m in length, at the Jenguebi dig site in Niger in November 2022. Matthew Irving/Fossil Lab/University of Chicago hide caption toggle caption Matthew Irving/Fossil Lab/University of Chicago A newly discovered species of large dinosaur lived in marshy areas, hunted for fish and had an impressive horn protruding from its skull. It is the first time in over 100 years that scientists have discovered a new species of Spinosaurus dinosaurs , which are large fish-eating predators that first emerged during the Jurassic period more than 140 million years ago. The new species, called Spinosaurus mirabilis, was the length of a school bus and was unearthed in Niger by an international team of scientists led by paleontologists from the University of Chicago. Details of the discovery were published in the journal Science last week. The authors estimate that Spinosaurus mirabilis lived about 95 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, in a marshy inland area in what is now the central Sahara. Short Wave Spinosaurus Makes Waves Lead author Paul Sereno compared them to herons, which also hunt for fish in shallow water and have bodies that are well-suited to semi-aquatic living. "I suspect that this animal was fishing largely in about 3 feet of water," he explained in an email to NPR, although it was large enough to stand in about 6 feet of water without floating. "There were many large fish in the rivers of its day," Sereno said, including some that measured 9 f...
