Spinosaurus fossil: 'Giant swimming dinosaur' unearthed

BBC ^ | September 11, 2014 | Rebecca Morelle

[C19fan]

The 95-million-year-old remains confirm a long-held theory: that this is the first-known swimming dinosaur.

Scientists say the beast had flat, paddle-like feet and nostrils on top of its crocodilian head that would allow it to submerge with ease.

The research is published in the journal Science.

Lead author Nizar Ibrahim, a palaeontologist from the University of Chicago, said: "It is a really bizarre dinosaur - there's no real blueprint for it.

[COBOL2Java]

Jockstraps and socks weren’t yet invented?

[COBOL2Java]

Scientists say the beast had flat, paddle-like feet and nostrils on top of its crocodilian head that would allow it to submerge with ease.

[gleeaikin]

One day a genetic mutation occurred which cause a degree of webbing. This creature swam faster and had more offspring, then maybe another mutation, etc. Here is another link:

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/09/11/alien-like-giant-water-living-dinosaur-unveiled/20961187/?ncid=webmail12

[The Cajun]

From the article:
"One of the things about this paper that struck me as particularly neat was the suggestion that Spinosaurus was a quadruped - all other meat-eating dinosaurs were bipeds.

Sure looks like it would be from the skeleton mock-up.
Think the folk from Jurassic Park III got it wrong.

[ApplegateRanch]

That guy has one heck of a charlie horse; hope it was after, and not before, his competition. ;-)

[ApplegateRanch]

Did it use all those dangling bits as bait to attract the "huge fish and sharks"?

[Red Badger]

Most likely.................