Paleontologists Discover the First Distinct Species of Fish-Eating Dinosaur Spinosaurus mirabilis in Over a Century

Recently identified as Spinosaurus mirabilis, this remarkable new species thrived during the Cretaceous period, approximately 95 million years ago.

The dinosaur fossil was unearthed by University of Chicago professor Paul Sereno and his team in a remote fossil site located in Jengeb, Niger, deep within the central Sahara desert.

One of the most striking characteristics of Spinosaurus mirabilis is its large, scimitar-shaped skull, which is unprecedented within this group.

“The scimitar-shaped skull was so substantial and surprising that when we first excavated it along with some jaw fragments in November 2019, we didn’t immediately recognize it,” they explained.

“Upon returning in 2022 with an expanded team, we uncovered two additional skulls, confirming the distinctiveness of this new species.”

“Based on the surface texture and internal blood vessels, we believe the skull was once covered in a layer of skin.”

“This display likely featured vibrant colors during its lifetime, curving upward like a blade to attract attention.”

Spinosaurus mirabilis capturing a coelacanth Mawsonia approximately 95 million years ago, near a river in what is now Niger. Image credit: Dani Navarro.

The discovery of Spinosaurus mirabilis challenges longstanding beliefs regarding the habitat and behavior of spinosaur dinosaurs.

Until this finding, most spinosaur fossils had been located in coastal sediments, leading to speculation about their fully aquatic lifestyle.

However, the new fossils from Niger are situated 500 to 1,000 kilometers away from the nearest ancient coastlines.

The researchers suggest that Spinosaurus mirabilis likely inhabited forested inland areas interspersed with rivers.

“I envision this dinosaur as a sort of ‘hell’s heron.’ With its robust legs, it could easily wade through two meters of water but likely spent the majority of its time stalking through shallow waters in search of large fish,” said Professor Sereno.

This pivotal research is detailed in a recently published article in the journal Science: paper.

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Paul C. Sereno et al. describe the new scimitar-shaped Spinosaurus species and its role in the evolution of spinosaurids. Science, published online on February 19, 2026. doi: 10.1126/science.adx5486