A new specimen of Spinosaurus (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Lower Cretaceous of Tunisia, with remarks on the evolutionary history of the Spinosauridae

2002/09/01 by Éric Buffetaut, Mohamed Ouaja · 19 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Amphibian and Reptile Biology

paper · doi:10.2113/173.5.415

openalex publication_date 2002/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22

Abstract

Abstract A newly discovered incomplete dinosaur dentary from the Chenini Sandstones (early Albian) of Jebel Miteur (Tataouine Governorate, southern Tunisia) is extremely similar to the corresponding part of the type of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus STROMER, 1915, and is identified as Spinosaurus cf. aegyptiacus. A review of African spinosaurids shows that baryonychines were present in the Aptian, and apparently became replaced by spinosaurines in the Albian and Cenomanian, perhaps as part of a more general faunal change between the Aptian and Albian. Spinosaurines may have been derived from the less advanced baryonychines. Several alternative hypotheses about the biogeographical history of the Spinosauridae are discussed.

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• Aïn el Guettar Formation [wikipedia]
• Baryonychinae [wikipedia]
• Chenini Member [wikipedia]
• Djebel Ressas [wikipedia]
• Spinosauridae [wikipedia]