Post by spinodontosaurus on Jun 2, 2013 1:54:26 GMT 5
Suchomimus (meaning "crocodile mimic" in reference to it's crocodilian-like skull) is genus of large theropod dinosaur that is known from the Elrhaz Formation of Niger, Africa, dating to around 112 million years ago, during the Late Aptian/Early Albian stage of the Cretaceous Period.
There is currently one named species, Suchomimus tenerensis, described by Paul Sereno in 1998.
Anatomy
Suchomimus is quite a long and low slung theropod, with a highly elongate and narrow snout yet highly robust forelimbs armed with especially large claws.
The narrow jaw contained as many as 106 teeth (44 upper, 62 lower, from Sereno et al. (1998)) that were mainly small, recurved and only lightly serrated.
It possessed extended neural spines which may have formed anything from a sail, a muscular ridge or even an 'extension' of the torso.
The tail was quite short but, as seems to be common place for spinosaurids, it had a long and moderately robust torso, with a long but somewhat thin neck.
The jaw structure and large fore claws has led to suggestions that it was primarily a piscivore (see Diet). Cuff & Rayfield (2013) found the upper jaws of related genera Baryonyx and Spinosaurus to be quite resistant to vertical bending.
Specimens
Holotype: MNHN GDF 500 (often reported as a sub-adult, although this was not stated in Sereno et al. 1998). Roughly 2/3 complete, it is not only by far the most complete Suchomimus specimen, but also the most complete spinosaurid specimen. Notable bones for comparative purposes include a 107.5cm long femur, a 94.5cm long tibia and a 56cm long humerus.
Several skull fragments were also found, an the holotype is estimated have had a complete anywhere between 120 and 140cm.
Full specimen list available here (classified as Cristatusaurus lapparenti; see synonym section below)
More similar images available here.
Size
Based on the most recent restoration (Scott Hartman, 2012), it had an axial length of around 11.8 meters and was about 3 meters tall to the top of the pelvis (total height may have been greater depending on how high the body extended up the neural spines).
It was estimated at 3.8 tonnes by Seebacher (2001) - albeit at a smaller length of 11 meters. 'Correcting' the weight to account for the larger size may indicate a weight of around 4.7 tonnes.
It appears broadly comparable in dimensions to Tyrannosaurus rex specimens AMNH 5027 (est. at 6.6 tonnes by Seebacher) and BHI 3033 ('Stan') as well as Acroacnthosaurus atokensis specimen NCSM 14345 (the latter two are estimated by Bates et al. (2009) to be 7.6 and 6.2 tonnes respectively), which may or may not suggest a higher weight was possible.
Relations
Suchomimus is a spinosaurid theropod, other notable spinosaurids include the closesly related Baryonyx and the even larger Spinosaurus, the latter of which is currently the largest known theropod.
Spinosauridae is believed to lie within megalosauroidea (=spinosauroidea), which also included megalosauridae (including genera such as Megalosaurus and Torvosaurus).
Suchomimus is believed to have been part of the sub-family baryonychinea, along with Baryonyx (and others), contra to Spinosaurus which was within spinosaurinea.
Behaviour and Diet
Amiot et al. (2010) carried out research into the Oxygen isotope ratios in spinosaurids (including Suchomimus) and concluded that spinosaurids spent a greater proportion of their time in water than contemporary theropods, suggesting that they may have been semi-aquatic (although they lack any notable adaptations for swimming compared to any other theropod).
Fish scales were found in the stomach of the holotype specimen of Baryonyx, as were some bones from an iguanodont, whilst Spinosaurus specimen MSNM V4047 was found with the vertebra of a fish embedded between it's teeth.
This suggests that spinosaurids were primarily piscivores, but may have taken other prey should the opportunity arise.
Synonymy
It has been suggested that Suchomimus and Cristatusaurus are synonymous. Although contrary to what the authors claim, the name Cristatusaurus would have priority of this were the case.
Suchomimus has been synonymised with Baryonyx in the past, although this would require Cristatusaurus to be sunk into Baryonyx due to Suchomimus being closer to Cristatusaurus than Baryonyx, and may also require Baryonyx[/] and itself to be sunk into Suchosaurus.
Full synonymy discussion available here.
There is currently one named species, Suchomimus tenerensis, described by Paul Sereno in 1998.
Anatomy
Suchomimus is quite a long and low slung theropod, with a highly elongate and narrow snout yet highly robust forelimbs armed with especially large claws.
The narrow jaw contained as many as 106 teeth (44 upper, 62 lower, from Sereno et al. (1998)) that were mainly small, recurved and only lightly serrated.
It possessed extended neural spines which may have formed anything from a sail, a muscular ridge or even an 'extension' of the torso.
The tail was quite short but, as seems to be common place for spinosaurids, it had a long and moderately robust torso, with a long but somewhat thin neck.
The jaw structure and large fore claws has led to suggestions that it was primarily a piscivore (see Diet). Cuff & Rayfield (2013) found the upper jaws of related genera Baryonyx and Spinosaurus to be quite resistant to vertical bending.
Specimens
Holotype: MNHN GDF 500 (often reported as a sub-adult, although this was not stated in Sereno et al. 1998). Roughly 2/3 complete, it is not only by far the most complete Suchomimus specimen, but also the most complete spinosaurid specimen. Notable bones for comparative purposes include a 107.5cm long femur, a 94.5cm long tibia and a 56cm long humerus.
Several skull fragments were also found, an the holotype is estimated have had a complete anywhere between 120 and 140cm.
Full specimen list available here (classified as Cristatusaurus lapparenti; see synonym section below)
More similar images available here.
Size
Based on the most recent restoration (Scott Hartman, 2012), it had an axial length of around 11.8 meters and was about 3 meters tall to the top of the pelvis (total height may have been greater depending on how high the body extended up the neural spines).
It was estimated at 3.8 tonnes by Seebacher (2001) - albeit at a smaller length of 11 meters. 'Correcting' the weight to account for the larger size may indicate a weight of around 4.7 tonnes.
It appears broadly comparable in dimensions to Tyrannosaurus rex specimens AMNH 5027 (est. at 6.6 tonnes by Seebacher) and BHI 3033 ('Stan') as well as Acroacnthosaurus atokensis specimen NCSM 14345 (the latter two are estimated by Bates et al. (2009) to be 7.6 and 6.2 tonnes respectively), which may or may not suggest a higher weight was possible.
Relations
Suchomimus is a spinosaurid theropod, other notable spinosaurids include the closesly related Baryonyx and the even larger Spinosaurus, the latter of which is currently the largest known theropod.
Spinosauridae is believed to lie within megalosauroidea (=spinosauroidea), which also included megalosauridae (including genera such as Megalosaurus and Torvosaurus).
Suchomimus is believed to have been part of the sub-family baryonychinea, along with Baryonyx (and others), contra to Spinosaurus which was within spinosaurinea.
Behaviour and Diet
Amiot et al. (2010) carried out research into the Oxygen isotope ratios in spinosaurids (including Suchomimus) and concluded that spinosaurids spent a greater proportion of their time in water than contemporary theropods, suggesting that they may have been semi-aquatic (although they lack any notable adaptations for swimming compared to any other theropod).
Fish scales were found in the stomach of the holotype specimen of Baryonyx, as were some bones from an iguanodont, whilst Spinosaurus specimen MSNM V4047 was found with the vertebra of a fish embedded between it's teeth.
This suggests that spinosaurids were primarily piscivores, but may have taken other prey should the opportunity arise.
Synonymy
It has been suggested that Suchomimus and Cristatusaurus are synonymous. Although contrary to what the authors claim, the name Cristatusaurus would have priority of this were the case.
Suchomimus has been synonymised with Baryonyx in the past, although this would require Cristatusaurus to be sunk into Baryonyx due to Suchomimus being closer to Cristatusaurus than Baryonyx, and may also require Baryonyx[/] and itself to be sunk into Suchosaurus.
Full synonymy discussion available here.
