A Picture of a Suchomimus

Suchomimus Facts

  • Species Type: Suchomimus tenerensis
  • Type of Dinosaur: Spinosaurid Theropod
  • Period: Early Cretaceous
  • Diet: Meat (carnivorous)
  • Length: Up to 36 feet
  • Weight: Up to 4.6 tons
  • First Discovered: 1997

17 Suchomimus Facts for Kids

  1. American paleontologist Paul Sereno and his team discovered the Suchomimus in 1997.
  2. The Suchomimus was discovered in the Elrhaz Formation (Niger, Africa).
  3. The Suchomimus got its scientific name Suchomimus tenerensis in 1998, from Paul Sereno and others.
  4. The scientific name of the Suchomimus appears to be based on off where it was first found, the Tenere Desert.
  5. The holotype specimen for the Suchomimus is MNN GDF500.
  6. The name Suchomimus means: “Crocodile Mimic”.
  7. The Suchomimus was part of a group of dinosaurs known as spinosaurids.
  8. Suchomimus lived during the Early Cretaceous Period between 130 and 95 million years ago.
  9. Paleontologists estimate that the Suchomimus lived in Africa, which is where specimens have been recovered.
  10. Paleontologists believe the Suchomimus lived in wet and vast floodplains.
  11. The Suchomimus had an elongated body, with a dorsal sail and a head like that of a crocodile.
  12. The holotype specimen for the Suchomimus had a length between 31 and 36 feet.
  13. The holotype specimen for the Suchomimus had a weight between 2.75 and 5.75 tons.
  14. Paleontologists believe the holotype specimen was a subadult and that a fully grown Suchomimus could potentially reached a greater length and weight.
  15. The Suchomimus was a large carnivorous dinosaur that ate terrestrial (land) and aquatic prey.
  16. Some paleontologists classify the Suchomimus as a piscivorous, which is an animal that mainly eats fish.
  17. The Suchomimus around 122 teeth used to capture and consume prey.

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Additional Resources on Suchomimus