Spinosauridae: 4 Dinosaurs in This Family

What is Spinosauridae?

Spinosauridae is a family of theropods with long, narrow, crocodile-like snouts and conical teeth. Members are known from Europe, Africa and South America, and the family includes Baryonychinae, with finely serrated teeth, and Spinosaurinae.

Skull shape suggests that fish formed part of the diet, and some fossil finds record other prey. How much time spinosaurids spent in water is debated, particularly for Spinosaurus, so a description of their lifestyle should always be read as an interpretation.

How this group is defined here

Members are the 4 field notes whose family or immediate parent group in the Paleobiology Database catalogue is Spinosauridae. The interpreted diet field across the group is carnivore, based on skeletal features rather than direct observation. Groups are revised when new fossils are described, and some genera are placed here with less certainty than others, so each field note records its sources and limits.

Spinosauridae members

Spinosauridae member comparison
Genus	Period	Fossil locations	Category
Baryonyx	Cretaceous	See field note	dinosaur
Irritator	Cretaceous	South America	dinosaur
Oxalaia	Cretaceous	South America	dinosaur
Spinosaurus	Cretaceous	Africa	dinosaur

Quick answers about Spinosauridae

Is Baryonyx a spinosaurid?: Yes. In this catalogue Baryonyx is placed in Spinosauridae, with Baryonychinae as its immediate parent group, and its fossils are from the Cretaceous period. Classification changes as new fossils are described, so the field note lists the sources and any disagreement.
Is Irritator a spinosaurid?: Yes. In this catalogue Irritator is placed in Spinosauridae, with Spinosaurinae as its immediate parent group, and its fossils are from the Cretaceous period. Classification changes as new fossils are described, so the field note lists the sources and any disagreement.
Is Oxalaia a spinosaurid?: Yes. In this catalogue Oxalaia is placed in Spinosauridae, with Spinosaurinae as its immediate parent group, and its fossils are from the Cretaceous period. Classification changes as new fossils are described, so the field note lists the sources and any disagreement.
Is Spinosaurus a spinosaurid?: Yes. In this catalogue Spinosaurus is placed in Spinosauridae, with Spinosaurini as its immediate parent group, and its fossils are from the Cretaceous period. Classification changes as new fossils are described, so the field note lists the sources and any disagreement.