Ibrahim teases “an exciting 2022” for Spinosaurus

[stargatedalek]

Spinosaurus likely hunted vaguely like auks. Floating on the surface until food is spotted beneath, and then diving to capture it.

This goes hand in hand with Spinosaurus likely being marine and hunting in the ocean rather than freshwater. In that context the idea of an animal spending most of its time resting on the surface makes a lot more sense.

Bone density and the webbed feet show it spent most of its time floating. Plus the isotopes showing the head was above water most of the time, and the legs below.

[Shane]

Spinosaurus likely hunted vaguely like auks. Floating on the surface until food is spotted beneath, and then diving to capture it.

This goes hand in hand with Spinosaurus likely being marine and hunting in the ocean rather than freshwater. In that context the idea of an animal spending most of its time resting on the surface makes a lot more sense.

Bone density and the webbed feet show it spent most of its time floating. Plus the isotopes showing the head was above water most of the time, and the legs below.

That's interesting! Thank you.

As far as tipping over due to its sail, would the tail fin that hadn't been made public at the time of the Henderson paper help to mitigate that tipping potential?

[Sim]

Speaking of studies that at least seemed like nonsense from the get go, whatever happened to that paper from...I think it was Henderson, that said Spinosaurus couldn't swim because it would tip over based on computer models (I may be simplifying the argument, significantly).

I know that paper predated the tail-fin discovery, did that put an end to that argument? It always seemed, in my non-expert opinion, to be starting with the desired outcome (not wanting a fully aquatic Spinosaurus) and searching for justifications to support it.

With all due respect to the authour, if I'm remembering right that paper was nonsense because the reconstruction of Spinosaurus used was based on other theropods and was too narrow as a result.  Someone posted a comparison of Spinosaurus bones on a silhouette from the paper and the Spinosaurus torso wouldn't fit inside the reconstruction of the paper!  Spinosaurus is another theropod with a barrel-shaped torso, besides Tyrannosaurus.

[Shane]

Speaking of studies that at least seemed like nonsense from the get go, whatever happened to that paper from...I think it was Henderson, that said Spinosaurus couldn't swim because it would tip over based on computer models (I may be simplifying the argument, significantly).

I know that paper predated the tail-fin discovery, did that put an end to that argument? It always seemed, in my non-expert opinion, to be starting with the desired outcome (not wanting a fully aquatic Spinosaurus) and searching for justifications to support it.

With all due respect to the authour, if I'm remembering right that paper was nonsense because the reconstruction of Spinosaurus used was based on other theropods and was too narrow as a result.  Someone posted a comparison of Spinosaurus bones on a silhouette from the paper and the Spinosaurus torso wouldn't fit inside the reconstruction of the paper!  Spinosaurus is another theropod with a barrel-shaped torso, besides Tyrannosaurus.

I remember people had issues with it at the time, but couldn't remember the specific nature of those issues and was having trouble tracking it down. I think you got it though. Thanks!