Suchomimus tenerensis

Suchomimus tenerensis was a large spinosaurid theropod dinosaur that inhabited North Africa during the Early Cretaceous, approximately 125 to 112 million years ago. Its remains were discovered in 1997 in the Elrhaz Formation in Niger by a team led by Paul Sereno, and it has since become key to understanding the early evolution of spinosaurids, a group of theropods adapted to aquatic environments and specialized, particularly piscivorous, diets.

With an estimated length of between 10 and 11 meters (33 and 3 feet) and a weight of around 3 to 5 tons, Suchomimus was an imposing carnivore, although more slender and agile than later spinosaurids such as Spinosaurus aegyptiacus . Its elongated, narrow skull, up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) long, is reminiscent of a crocodile's, with over 100 blunt, backward-curving conical teeth perfectly adapted for catching slippery prey such as fish. It also had a slight enlargement at the tip of its snout—called the premaxillary rosette—where larger teeth were concentrated, a structure also seen in other spinosaurids and modern gharials, reinforcing its piscivorous specialization.

The latest paleontological research suggests that Suchomimus was a semi-aquatic predator, likely spending a significant amount of time in shallow waters such as rivers and marshes. Although not as specialized as Spinosaurus , which exhibited more extreme adaptations to aquatic environments, Suchomimus does exhibit a combination of features that suggest an evolutionary transition to a semi-aquatic lifestyle: relatively dense bones that may have aided in controlled buoyancy, nostrils positioned higher on the skull to facilitate breathing while partially submerged, and a long skeleton with a muscular tail that may have contributed to swimming, although the latter is still under study.

One of its most distinctive features was the imposing curved claw on the first finger of each hand, which could measure more than 30 centimeters. This claw, combined with its powerful arms, was likely used to hook or hold large fish, or even to handle carrion or other food, suggesting a more varied diet than just fish. Hypotheses have also been raised about its possible scavenging behavior or even opportunistic predation of small vertebrates.

The vertebral structure of Suchomimus included a series of elongated neural spines along its back, forming a modest dorsal sail or crest. Although not as developed as that of Spinosaurus , this structure may have served functions in visual communication, thermal regulation, or fat storage, depending on the interpretive model.

Ecologically, Suchomimus shared its habitat with other large vertebrates such as the giant crocodilian Sarcosuchus imperator , the sauropod Nigersaurus , and numerous fish and aquatic reptiles, in a diverse and dynamic river ecosystem. Its presence confirms the early diversification of spinosaurids in Africa and their adaptation to aquatic environments long before Spinosaurus evolved its extreme characteristics.

Approximate measurements of Suchomimus:

• 1:35 Scale Assembly Kit
• Length 107 mm 
• Height 87 mm
• Width 121 mm
• Snout-tail length 314 mm