Giant River Hunter: New Dinosaur Rivaled T. Rex in Size

Scientists have discovered a new species of dinosaur that was as large as the famous Tyrannosaurus rex. The giant predator hunted in rivers, not on land. The discovery comes from fossils found in Niger, West Africa, during a 2022 expedition. The dinosaur is a type of Spinosaurus, named *Spinosaurus mirabilis*. Spinosaurus were unique "river monster" dinosaurs. They had crocodile-like skulls and cone-shaped teeth for catching fish. Some species also had a large sail on their back. This new finding shows that these enormous aquatic predators lived in West Africa. They thrived in a vast river system over 95 million years ago. The research helps scientists understand the diversity and dominance of spinosaurids. These creatures were the top predators in their river environments across the ancient world.