A newly discovered fossil has sparked the imagination of many people, leading them to believe that researchers may have discovered a real dragon for the first time.
The skull, which is the size of an adult human, was found in the Sahara Desert of Africa. It has a long, reptilian snout, full of sharp teeth as long as a human hand, and an enlarged nose that closely resembles that of a crocodile.
The skull also has a large arched horn above its eyes and spines protruding from the back of its head, making the animal look like the flying creatures of ancient legends.
Discovered by a team from the University of Chicago, the new species was named Spinosaurus mirabilis, which means "wonderful spine snake."
This large predator lived about 95 million years ago, during the Cretaceous Period, when the Sahara is believed to have been a verdant area with rivers and inland streams far from ancient seas.
Spinosaurus mirabilis, also known as the "hell's shark," is thought to have been about 12 meters long and weighed between 4,500 and 6,350 kilograms. Fossils suggest it could wade in water up to two and a half meters deep to catch food.
Researchers believe this dragon-like creature belonged to the Spinosaurid family, all of which had crocodile-like features, a neck or floating structure on their backs, and could walk on two large hind legs, with two shorter front legs.
This particular species of Spinosaurus had a 50cm-high crest between its eyes, which the team compared to a curved sword called a scimitar. Reconstruction of the large skull with its long snout and interlocking teeth, along with the crest of the sword, has revealed a creature that looks identical to the fire-breathing dragons of mythology.
“This is definitely a dragon’s head,” one online user wrote. “Just call it a dragon,” added another commenter.
However, paleontologists and museums continue to argue that dragons, winged creatures that look like dinosaurs, never existed and the stories about them are probably related to the large reptiles.
Officially, Paul Sereno, a paleontologist at the University of Chicago, and his team believe the creature belongs to the spinosaurid family – large carnivorous dinosaurs, known for the famous Spinosaurus with its crocodile-like head and large, floating back.
The researchers, in a publication in the journal Science, estimated that there were 10 to 17 different species of this prehistoric predator, with the newest fossil marking the most recently discovered species.
“The discovery was so unexpected and amazing that it was exciting for our team,” Sereno said. “I will forever remember the moment we gathered around the laptop to see the species for the first time.”
This dinosaur stands out from large predators like Tyrannosaurus Rex or Allosaurus for its ability to adapt, especially in catching fish and living near water.
The fossil is believed to have the longest known crest among all carnivorous dinosaurs, or theropods.
“The unicorn of the spinosaurids,” one commenter said of the distinctive horn on the skull.
This amazing discovery in an area far from the sea could rewrite the story about the need for spinosaurids to live near the coast.
The site where Spinosaurus mirabilis was found had remained untouched by researchers for over 70 years until the recent expeditions of 2019 and 2022.
In the 1950s, French geologists discovered a single large, sword-like tooth, similar to those of large predators like Carcharodontosaurus. However, there was no return to the remote and dangerous area for more than half a century.
Sereno decided to track down the lost site with the help of a local Tuareg guide on a motorbike, who claimed to know the places where large fossil bones surfaced. /GazetaExpress/
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