Spinosaurus, the "Spine Lizard," is 
the subject of a heated debate in 
the scientific community. One thing
that is not debated, though, is the
sheer size of the monstrosity - with
a length of over fifteen meters and
a sail height of over one and a half
meters, Spinosaurus was quite 
possibly the biggest terrestrial
carnivore to ever live. Prior to 
2014, Spinosaurus was thought to 
have a fairly normal theropod body, 
with its body resting on top of long
legs. However, a 2014 study claimed
that Spinosaurus had short hind legs
and walked on all fours. This quad-
rupedal model set the paleontology 
world reeling. While some people 
accept this model, most are not 
ready to accept such a drastic 
revision based on the fossils and 
simply reconstruct it with shorter 
legs and a longer torso. 

Despite the controversy over its 
anatomy, there is still much that 
scientists agree on. Spinosaurus 
lived during the Cretaceous Period 
in what is now Northern Africa. Its
environment was very wet, and it 
spent a great deal of time in the 
water. A proficient hunter, 
Spinosaurus posed a huge threat to 
every creature that dared to near 
it. Its dangerous jaws, over a meter
long, could handle all manners of 
prey. It also was likely very 
opportunistic, never passing up the 
chance for an easy catch or 
scavenged carcass.
