A new version of the dinosaur Spinosaurus (one of the best names ever given to the beasts, in my opinion) was recently described based on fossils found somewhere in the Sahara desert.
There's a scientific paper about it: Scimitar-crested Spinosaurus species from the Sahara caps stepwise spinosaurid radiation
(I'm sure there's a tongue-twister in there somewhere.)
And back when it was announced, there were lots of articles about it, including this one, which is great, and quite detailed:
New ‘scimitar-crested’ Spinosaurus species discovered in the central Sahara
Apparently it specialized in something, which was to eat fish.
"Another striking feature of the skull is its interdigitating upper and lower tooth rows, which make a deadly trap for slippery fish. Interdigitating teeth, where those of the lower jaw protrude outward and between those of the uppers, is a time-honored adaptation among fish-eaters in the fossil record — including aquatic ichthyosaurs, semi-aquatic crocodile and airborne pterosaurs. Among dinosaurs, it sets Spinosaurus and closest kin apart."
Quite a striking specimen. This artist's recreation was by Dani Navarro.

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