For decades it had been widely thought that dinosaurs lived exclusively on land - that was until the discovery and description of a new skeleton of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus - a giant predator that was actually well adapted to an aquatic lifestyle.
Previously only one, largely incomplete skeleton of Spinosaurus had been found over a century ago elsewhere in the Sahara, but it was destroyed in the WWII bombing of Munich, Germany. The dinosaur is a 15-metre-long, nine-tonne predator - even longer than the largest Tyrannosaurus rex. It was a powerful swimmer propelled by a huge fin-like tail, which hunted down its prey in vast river systems that flowed through the Sahara Desert 100 million years ago.
The new skeleton - the only one in existence in the world - is part of a long-term project focusing on the Sahara's age of dinosaurs, led by Dr Nizar Ibrahim , a palaeontologist at the University of Portsmouth's School of the Environment and Life Sciences , and including colleagues from Portsmouth and beyond.
Now, after 100 million years, Spinosaurus has been brought to life virtually and will be the focus of a forthcoming episode of the eagerly awaited new six-part series "Walking with Dinosaurs", which airs on the BBC on Sunday (25 May).
On Thursday 29 May, the University of Portsmouth is hosting a special screening of the episode featuring Dr Ibrahim and colleagues, including Dr Roy Smith , also from the University's School of the Environment and Life Sciences .
The event will start at 6pm after which guests will have the opportunity to obtain more insight through an open question and answer session with Dr Ibrahim. Tickets are available for free on Eventbrite .
The original Walking with Dinosaurs series from 1999 still is the most successful documentary series of all time, not just here but globally, far ahead of even the most successful David Attenborough series.
The new series blends real-life trailblazing discoveries with computer generated footage of dinosaurs to show how they would have lived millions of years ago. State-of-the-art visual effects generate a realistic recreation of this prehistoric story, making each episode a truly "gripping dinosaur drama". It will also air in the USA (PBS), Germany (ZDF), France (France Télévisions), Australia (ABC) and many other countries.
Spinosaurus - as being featured in Walking with Dinosaurs
Credit: BBC Studios/Lola Post Production/Getty Images
Dr Ibrahim said: "The new Walking with Dinosaurs is essentially the ultimate dinosaur documentary series. It uses cutting-edge CGI to resurrect these incredible creatures from the deep past of our planet, but it also sheds light on the science behind them - how we know what dinosaurs looked like, how they behaved, and how they fit into ancient ecosystems. It's an amazing blend of science, storytelling, and exciting narratives!
"I was involved in different aspects of this massive project, most importantly the episode titled 'River Dragon', which features some of the incredible prehistoric creatures my team excavated in the Sahara Desert. One of the stars is Spinosaurus - a giant predatory dinosaur unlike anything you've seen before. It's a spectacular episode, filmed in one of the most epic, challenging, and visually stunning dig sites on the planet. I really think this series is the best dinosaur show out there."
Determining that the Spinosaurus was an aquatic dinosaur followed examination of the tail skeleton and an examination of the crocodile-like skull of the creature. The team found that the tail vertebrae of Spinosaurus had extraordinarily long spines that supported a large, highly flexible, fin-like tail comparable in some aspects to that of a crocodile or a crested newt.
Additionally, it is known that there is a clear link between bone density and aquatic foraging behaviour: animals that submerge themselves underwater to find food have bones that are almost completely solid throughout, whereas cross-sections of land-dwellers' bones look more like doughnuts, with hollow centres.
Analysis of the Spinosaurus' bone density included comparisons to other aquatic animals like penguins and manatees. The team found that Spinosaurus had dense, solid bones that would have allowed them to submerge themselves fully underwater to hunt.
At the time of the discovery in 2018, the research team included Professor David Martill , Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Portsmouth and Dr David Unwin, Reader in Palaeobiology at the University of Leicester.
Speaking at the time, Dr Ibrahim said: "Working on this Spinosaurus skeleton was especially exciting. Previously, scientists have always puzzled about this lost giant. We were able to apply new scientific techniques on our finds which was not previously possible because older specimen discoveries were destroyed in World War II.
"To find that dinosaurs not only dominated the land and took to the skies, but also went into the water was amazing. As well as its tail, many other features of this dinosaur, such as the high position of the nostrils, heavy bones, short legs, and paddle-like feet point to a life spent in the water rather than on land.
"It has been a game changing discovery that fundamentally alters our understanding of how this dinosaur lived and hunted - it was actually a river-monster."
The University of Portsmouth's BSc (Hons) Palaeontology degree offers a uniquely hands-on learning experience, thanks to its location near the Isle of Wight - nicknamed "Dinosaur Island" for its rich fossil heritage. Students benefit from frequent field trips to world-famous fossil sites like the Isle of Wight and the Jurassic Coast, gaining real-world experience that complements classroom learning.
Accredited by The Geological Society of London, the course combines cutting-edge facilities, expert teaching, and a flexible "Connected Degree" structure that allows for paid placements or self-employment years, preparing graduates for careers in science, consultancy, or museum work.
