Scientists have discovered a new species of the famous dinosaur Spinosaurus in the central Sahara Desert, revealing surprising details about how these unusual predators lived.
The species, named Spinosaurus mirabilis, was uncovered in Niger by a 20-member international team led by Professor Paul Sereno from the University of Chicago.
Their findings, published in the journal Science, add an important piece to the story of spinosaur evolution near the end of the dinosaur age.
One of the most striking features of the new dinosaur is a huge, scimitar-shaped crest rising from the top of its skull.
When researchers first found fragments of the crest and jaw bones scattered on the desert surface in 2019, they did not immediately realize what they had discovered because the shape was so unusual.
After returning in 2022 and finding two more crests, they confirmed that the fossils belonged to a previously unknown species.
The crest likely had a covering made of keratin, the same material found in human fingernails, and may have been brightly colored in life, possibly used for display or communication.
The skull also shows a special adaptation for catching fish. Its upper and lower teeth interlocked like a trap, making it easier to grip slippery prey.
Similar tooth arrangements are seen in other fish-eating animals such as crocodiles and some extinct marine reptiles, but among dinosaurs this feature is mainly found in Spinosaurus and its close relatives.
The discovery site is especially important because it lies far inland, hundreds of kilometers from the nearest ancient coastline. Previously, most spinosaur fossils had been found in coastal deposits, leading some scientists to think these dinosaurs were fully aquatic.
The new site, however, contains fossils of animals that lived in a forested river environment, suggesting that S. mirabilis spent much of its time wading in shallow water rather than swimming in the open sea. Sereno compared it to a giant “hell heron,” stalking fish in rivers and wetlands.
The journey to the fossil field began with a brief note written by a French geologist in the 1950s describing a mysterious fossil tooth found in the region. Sereno’s team set out decades later to relocate the site.
With the help of a local Tuareg guide who had seen large bones in the desert, they traveled deep into the Sahara on motorbike and eventually discovered a rich fossil area they named Jenguebi. In a short time before returning to camp, they collected teeth and jaw fragments that turned out to belong to the new species.
Back in Chicago, the fossils were cleaned, scanned, and digitally reconstructed to form a complete skull. Artists and scientists then worked together to create lifelike models and animations showing how the dinosaur might have looked and behaved about 95 million years ago, towering over a riverbank as it fed on giant fish.
The discovery highlights Niger’s importance as a treasure trove of ancient life and underscores the role of international cooperation and local support in scientific exploration.
Replicas of the skull and crest will soon be displayed at the Chicago Children’s Museum, allowing visitors—especially children—to experience the excitement of a new dinosaur discovery firsthand.
Researchers say Spinosaurus mirabilis offers fresh insight into one of the most unusual groups of meat-eating dinosaurs and shows that even in well-studied groups, remarkable surprises can still emerge from the sands of the Sahara.
