{"product_id":"irritator-challengeri-4","title":"Irritator challengeri","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIrritator challengeri\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e is a species of spinosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 110 million years ago, in what is now Brazil. Its name comes from the Latin \"irritator,\" referring to the frustration of paleontologists upon discovering that the original fossil had been altered with plaster by the collectors who found it, and \"challengeri\" in honor of Professor Challenger, a fictional character created by Arthur Conan Doyle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIrritator is known primarily from a well-preserved partial skull, recovered from the Santana Formation, famous for its exceptionally preserved fossils. This theropod is classified within the spinosaurids, a group of carnivorous dinosaurs with adaptations to a semi-aquatic lifestyle. Its elongated, narrow skull, similar to that of modern crocodiles, had conical, unserrated teeth, ideal for catching fish. This morphology suggests that Irritator was piscivorous, although it may also have hunted small terrestrial prey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecent research highlights that the Irritator's skull had an advanced sensory system in its snout, with neurovascular canals that would have allowed it to detect movements in the water, similar to what is observed in current crocodiles. Furthermore, biomechanical studies suggest that its bite was adapted for gripping slippery prey, rather than exerting extreme force like other theropods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIrritator likely had a slender body and long limbs, adaptations associated with both terrestrial and aquatic locomotion. Although no complete skeletal remains have been found, comparisons with other spinosaurids indicate that it could have reached a length of 7 to 8 meters. It probably had a low dorsal sail formed by extensions of the vertebrae, similar to those of other members of its family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis dinosaur inhabited a warm coastal environment, with lagoons, rivers, and mangrove areas that offered an abundance of fish and other resources. Its semi-aquatic ecological niche placed it in a unique role within the ecosystem, sharing its habitat with other marine reptiles and terrestrial dinosaurs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecent studies on Irritator have enriched our understanding of spinosaurids as a diverse and ecologically versatile group of dinosaurs. These findings underscore the importance of South American fossils in deciphering the evolutionary history of semi-aquatic dinosaurs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eApproximate measurements of the Irritator:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFull 1:35 Scale\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLength 190 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHeight 87 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWidth 37 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSnout-to-tail length 230 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Miniature Museum","offers":[{"title":"1:35 \/ Unprimed","offer_id":54806223388940,"sku":"DC-1400-135-SINI","price":49.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:35 \/ Primed","offer_id":54806223421708,"sku":"DC-1400-135-IMPRI","price":56.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:35 \/ Hand-painted","offer_id":54806223454476,"sku":"DC-1400-135-PINTA","price":156.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/1106\/7660\/files\/Irritator_19.jpg?v=1779793846","url":"https:\/\/dinosauriacreatures.com\/en\/products\/irritator-challengeri-4","provider":"Dinosauria Creatures","version":"1.0","type":"link"}