But there was one thing that made S. mirabilis different from S. aegyptiacus. The word “mirabilis” in the newly discovered Spinosaurus’ name translates to “astonishing” in Latin. What Sereno’s team found so astonishing was the prominent crest atop the animal’s head, one of the largest we’ve ever discovered.
The scimitar crown
Instead of the bumpy, fluted ridge seen on S. aegyptiacus, S. mirabilis sported a blade-shaped, scimitar-like bony crest that arched upward and backward from its snout, reaching an apex high over its eyes. This structure was composed of solid bone, unlike the highly porous, pneumatic casques found on some modern birds. However, the bone itself was etched with
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