Spinosaurus aegyptiacus Tooth, ca. 93-99.6 million... Lot 33

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus Tooth, ca. 93-99.6 million years old, Morocco Fossil 110x31 mm Provenance: market (Italy) Conservation status. Surface: 90%. Conservation status. Support: 90% (fractures, restoration, consolidation) Spinosaurus is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur--equipped with a dorsal sail--that lived in North Africa during the Cenomanian and Upper Turonian stages of the Late Cretaceous, about 99-93.5 million years ago. Two species are classified in the literature: spinosaurus egyptiacus, from Egypt, and spinosaurus maroccanus, found in Morocco. For some scholars, all spinosaurs from North Africa belong to the same species, Spinosaurus aegyptiacus; Spinosaurus moroccanus would only be a synonym. A third species, found in the Alcântara Formation in Brazil, is in the process of classification. Spinosaurus is the longest known terrestrial carnivore; and is comparable in power to tyrannosaurus, giganotosaurus and carcharodontosaurus. Spinosaurus egyptiacus could reach 14 meters in length and 7.4 tons in body mass. The skull of spinosaurus was long, low and narrow, similar to that of a modern crocodile, and bore straight conical teeth without serrations. It appears to have had large, robust forelimbs with three-toed hands and an enlarged claw on the first toe. The characteristic neural spines, long extensions of the vertebrae (or spines), grew to a length of at least 1.65 meters and were probably connected by skin, forming a sail-like structure, although some authors have suggested that the spines were covered with fat and formed a hump. The spinosaur's hip bones were small, and its legs were very short in proportion to its body. Its long, narrow tail was made deeper by tall, thin neural spines and elongated chevrons, which formed a flexible fin or paddle-like structure. Spinosaurus is known to have eaten fish, and most scientists believe it hunted both terrestrial and aquatic prey. Evidence suggests that it was semi-aquatic. The leg bones had a high bone density, allowing for better buoyancy control. Multiple functions were predicted for the dorsal sail, including thermoregulation and display; both to intimidate rivals and to attract mates. It lived in a moist environment of tidal flats and mangrove forests along with many other dinosaurs, as well as fish, crocodiles, lizards, turtles, pterosaurs and plesiosaurs. The fossil dates to the Upper Cretaceous, Cenomanian, and was excavated near El Bega, in the Kem Kem beds, Morocco