The Suchomimus was a theropod dinosaur that lived during the Lower Cretaceous period approximately 120 million years ago. The Suchomimus also belonged to the spinosauridae family, which consists of other spined theropod dinosaurs
Key facts about the Suchomimus
| Domain | Description |
|---|---|
| Suchomimus pronunciation | Sook-oh-mim-us |
| What does Suchomimus mean? | “Crocodile mimic”. |
| Dinosaur type | Theropod |
| On the menu | Carnivore |
| Length | 36 feet (11 meters) |
| Height | 11 to 16.4 feet (3.5 to 5 meters) |
| Weight | 3 to 5.2 tons (6,000 to 11,500 lbs) |
| Life expectancy | The life expectancy was around 30 years. |
| Legs used to get around | Bipedal. |
| Estimated top speed | Although no good estimates have been made it is believed to have been quite fast. |
| When they lived | Lower Cretaceous Period about 121-112 million years ago. |
| Where they have been found? | In the Niger, Republic of Africa |
When & Where
In 1997, during a fossil-hunting tour led by paleontologist Paul Sereno, remains of a thumb claw were found by David Varrichio in the Niger Republic in Africa. Other remains were also found in the same place and in 1998, the name Suchomimus was given to the dinosaur.
Size & Weight
According to studies, the size of the Suchomimus can reach up to 3 to 5.2 tons (6,000 to 11,500 lbs) with a height of 11 to 16.4 feet (3.5 to 5 meters), and a length that can reach up to 3 to 5.2 tons (6,000 to 11,500 lbs).
Mobility & Diet
Just like other spinosaurids, the Suchomimus main diet consists of eating fish. Their long snout that was filled with spiked teeth made it easier for them to digest every fish that they are able to catch.
Interesting Points
- There have only been 2 specimens found
- They lived around 125 million years ago in the Albian Age
- When it was found, it was named Suchomimus tenerensis, as it was derived from the place Ténéré, where the first fossils of the said dinosaur were discovered.