Spinosaur Tales: The Biology and Ecology of the Spinosaurs

The spinosaurs - the dinosaur group that includes the largest land predator of all time, the awe-inspiring Spinosaurus - star in this cutting-edge review.

The giant sail-backed carnivorous dinosaur Spinosaurus is one of the most famous of all dinosaurs; a staple of documentaries, books and video games, and the beast that bested the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex in Jurassic Park III. But what do we actually know about this crocodile-headed monster and its relatives, the spinosaurs?

The spinosaurs were some of the strangest predatory dinosaurs, combining a long low skull with powerfully clawed hands. Some species had huge sails over their backs, as well as fin-like tails. A great deal of scientific mystery surrounds them. Their fossil remains are highly fragmentary, many aspects of their appearance uncertain, their evolutionary relationships elusive, and interpretations of their ecology and behaviour are hotly contested.

Spinosaur Tales explores the exciting, sometimes controversial world of spinosaur science. Bringing these creatures back to life with stunning illustrations, world-renowned palaeontologists David Hone and Mark P. Witton present the latest views on the evolution, anatomy and lifestyles of an enigmatic yet charismatic dinosaur group.

David Hone is a palaeontologist at Queen Mary University of London. Author of the acclaimed The Tyrannosaur Chronicles, his research includes multiple scientific papers on spinosaur systematics and biology, and he was part of a team that named two new species in 2021.

Mark P. Witton is a palaeontologist based at the University of Portsmouth. Widely recognised as one of the world’s leading paleoartists, he has also published dozens of scientific papers and six books that feature his art.