Its name means “spiny lizard“. In fact, it has spines nearly 2 meters tall along its back. It appears that a skin sail connects its spines, which served the function of regulating temperature, capturing heat from the sun and/or dissipating excess heat. However, some scientists believe that these spines supported a hump of muscle that gave the animal immense strength. Other hypotheses suggest a use for courtship displays.
Key characteristics:
- With a length of 15 meters and a height of 4.50 meters, it is bulkier than the Tyrannosaurus rex. It is the largest land predator. The jaw measured more than 1.5 meters. Its long forelimbs allowed it to walk on four legs. The hind legs are powerful and were probably webbed. This allowed it to swim in water as well as move around on land.
- Aquatic or semi-aquatic, it lived in areas with streams where it fed mainly on freshwater aquatic prey (fish) due to the low abundance of herbivores. It is the first semi-aquatic dinosaur discovered.
- It immobilized its prey with the help of its conical teeth. The long and narrow skull has many cavities with channels connecting them to the brain. This is similar to the foramen in crocodilians, allowing them to sense movements in the water due to pressure sensors.