Iberospinus Iberospinus

"Iberian spine"

You 1.8 m (5.9 ft) tall
Iberospinus 5 m (16.4 ft) long
3 people holding hands
Length
5 m (16.4 ft)
Period
Early Cretaceous (129.4–125 Mya)
Place
Europe · Spain · Portugal
Food
Piscivore (fish-eater)
Clade
Spinosauridae Dinosauria Saurischia Theropoda

Iberospinus (meaning “Iberian spine”) is an extinct genus of spinosaurid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) Papo Seco Formation of Portugal. The genus contains a single species, I. natarioi, known from several assorted bones belonging to one individual. Iberospinus represents one of five known spinosaurid taxa from the Iberian Peninsula, the others being Camarillasaurus, Protathlitis, Riojavenatrix, and Vallibonavenatrix. It is important for its implications of the geographical origin of Spinosauridae and the suggested presence of potentially semi-aquatic lifestyle earlier in the evolution of this clade.

What we know

  • Named by Mateus & Estraviz-López, 2022.
  • Fossils found in Europe and Spain.