Spinosaurus: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Oct. 30, 2026

News •

Study upends what was thought about iconic dinosaur featured in Jurassic Park III • Oct. 26, 2026, 4:44 AM ET (The Independent)

New evidence suggests spinosaurus spent most of its life underwater • Oct. 25, 2026, 7:54 AM ET (Science Daily)

Photos

Illustration of a Spinosaurus, a large theropod dinosaur with a long snout, crocodile-like jaws, and a distinctive sail-like structure on its back.

See All Images →

Topics

Has a complete skeleton been discovered?Late Cretaceous Epoch sail Cenomanian Stage

Key People

default image

Paul Sereno

American paleontologist

Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)

Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz

Lion (panthera leo)

Deadliest Animals Quiz

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Animal Group Names

The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is seen in Switzerland on December 2024

Animal Factoids

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz