A new raptor-like dinosaur discovered in Spain helps to tell the backstory of a little-understood, semi-aquatic family of predators that likely originated in Europe, researchers have concluded.
The Spinosaurids were a family of long, scrappy dinosaurs that branched into many different species, including the new Protathlitis cinctorrensis, which was believed to measure 10 to 11 meters long and possess long, conical teeth. Past studies have concluded that the family most likely ate fish – wading into the water like a heron – while also grabbing the occasional pterosaur, a group of flying dinosaurs.
