Spinosaurus

Spinosaurus(spined lizard) was a large theropod from Africa. This giant is probably the longest carnivore that ever lived on land. However, whether or not it was the largest is debatable. Spinosaurus lived about 90-110 million years ago.

Description
Spinosaurus is not hard to recognize. This dinosaur had a long, crocodile like jaw, large arms and claws, and a tall sail on it's back. This sail measured nearly 6 feet(1.8 meters) tall! Spinosaurus, along with many of it's close relatives, had somewhat light weight bodies.

Size
Due to the fact that few fossils have been found, the exact size of Spinosaurus is difficult to estimate. Some estimates as low as 40 feet(12 meters) long and 4 tons have been published. Others as high as 60 feet(18 meters) and 12 tons in weight are also known. Spinosaurus probably attained an adult size of about 46-56 feet(14-17 meters) long and roughly 6-8 tons in weight. While probably not the heaviest theropod, it was certainly the longest.

Hunting and Diet
Spinosaurus had a pretty varied diet. It's most common prey item was fish. However, it would have been capable of hunting small to medium sized dinosaurs and also probably scavenged. These dinosaurs are presumed to have been primarily solitary. That is, unless it was a mother with her young.

Sail Function
The exact function of the sail is a mystery. It's been suggested it was used for thermoregulation. However, it may have also been used for display, intimidation, or some other function. These kinds of things are difficult to fully understand since the animal is extinct.

In Popular Culture
Spinosaurus is a somewhat new addition to the dinosaur spotlight. It got it's start in Jurassic Park III. Since then, this dinosaur has been featured in a number of books and documentaries. While popular among some, Spinosaurus has recieved a bad reputation due to it's contraversial appearance in Jurassic Park III. In this movie, a Spinosaurus was seen engaged in a fight with a Tyrannosaurus rex. The T.rex bit the Spinosaurus on the back of the neck, but the Spinosaurus slipped free unharmed. It then proceeded to dispatch the Tyrannosaurus and move on. This scene is considered one of the most contraversial scenes in all of Jurassic Park history. It also caused a major division among dinosaur lovers.