Episode 304 is all about Ichthyovenator, the aptly named spinosaurid “fish hunter” from Laos.

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In this episode, we discuss:

News:

• The mamenchisaurid Analong was split from Chuanjiesaurus source
• A new fossil shows a mouse-sized mammal chewing on a massive sauropod neck source
• New ankylosaur remains were described from BC, Canada source
• The University of Zurich’s Zoological and Paleontological Museum has reopened source
• Mary Ann Mantell, Dr. Gideon Mantell’s wife, may have found the first Iguanodon bones source
• National Geographic released their Reimagining Dinosaurs issue source
• September is Velociraptor Awareness Month source
• Screenrant has a couple (highly speculative) ideas of how Jurassic World: Dominion could end source

The dinosaur of the day: Ichthyovenator

• Spinosaurid that lived in the Early Cretaceous in what is now Laos (Savannakhet Basin, “Grès supérieurs” Formation)
• Holotype estimated to be 28 to 34 ft (8.5 to 10.5 m) long and weigh 2.4 tonnes
• Had straight, conical teeth (not serrated)
• Had a reduced pelvic girdle
• Neck similar to Sigilmassaurus (Spinosaurus)
• Had tall neural spines on its back, that made a sail
• Had a sail on its back and hips
• Sail had a wavy (sinusoidal) shape, curved downwards split into two separate sails
• Looks kind of like a piece of the sail is missing
• Sail may have been for display or species recognition, or thermoregulation or for storing energy
• Probably semiaquatic
• Tail spines were tall, may have helped it swim
• May have used its tail to help propel it through water
• Paleoart looks very similar to Spinosaurus, especially the tail, though the sail on the back is not as tall
• Fossils found in 2010, found a partial skeleton (no skull, no limbs)
• Because it’s a spinosaur, probably had an elongated snout and ate fish
• As a spinosaur, likely had strong arms and large thumb claws
• Described in 2012 by Ronan Allain and others
• Type and only species: Ichthyovenator laosensis
• Genus name means “fish hunter”
• Species name refers to Laos
• More fossils found in 2014, including teeth, vertebrae, and a pubic bone
• Reported to be the first definite spinosaur from Asia, but Siamosaurus had been named in 1986 (known mostly from tooth fossils, there may be two partial skeletons but it’s not yet certain if they are Siamosaurus)
• Originally thought to be part of the subfamily Baryonychinae but now thought to be a primitive Spinosaurinae (because of non-serrated teeth and its vertebrae being similar to Sigilmassasaurus)
• Other animals that lived around the same time and place included sauropods such as Tangvayosaurus, ornithopods, bivalves (mollusks), fish, and turtles

Fun Fact: The first reconstruction of a fossilized animal might be a dragon statue in Austria—The Klagenfurt Lindwurm. It predates the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs by almost 300 years.