A unicorn-like Spinosaurus found in the Sahara

"The Spinosaurus is a sail-backed, crocodile-snouted dinosaur that Hollywood depicted as a giant terrestrial predator capable of taking down a T. rex in Jurassic Park 3. Then they changed their mind and made it a fully aquatic diver in Jurassic World Rebirth—a rendering that was more in line with the latest paleontological knowledge. But now, deep in the Sahara Desert, a team of researchers led by Paul C. Sereno discovered new Spinosaurus fossils suggesting both scientists and filmmakers might have got it all wrong again."

"Until now, all remains of these predators were pulled from coastal deposits near ancient seas and oceans. That geographic distribution was consistent with the aquatic lifestyle interpretation. If a creature lived on the coast, maybe it swam out to sea like a prehistoric seal, only crawling out to the beaches to rest just as it was depicted in Jurassic World Rebirth. But the Spinosaurus found by Sereno and his colleagues lived in a completely different neighborhood."

Spinosaurus, a sail-backed dinosaur with crocodile-like jaws, has been depicted differently across scientific understanding and film. Initially portrayed as a terrestrial predator rivaling T. rex, later evidence suggested it was an aquatic diver living along ancient coastlines. However, paleontologist Paul C. Sereno's team discovered new Spinosaurus fossils in the central Sahara Desert of Niger, in a terrestrial area called Jenguebi. This inland location contradicts the aquatic lifestyle theory, as previous remains were found only in coastal deposits. The discovery suggests Spinosaurus may have inhabited diverse environments and challenges assumptions about its diving capabilities and ecological role.

Read at Ars Technica