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About Suchomimus:
A relatively recent addition to the dinosaur bestiary, the first (and to date only) fossil of Suchomimus was discovered in Africa in 1997. Its name, "crocodile mimic," refers to its long, toothy, distinctly crocodilian snout, which it probably used to snap fish out of the rivers and streams of the then-lush northern Sahara region of Africa. This dinosaur's relatively long arms, which it may have dipped into the water to spear passing fish, are another clue that Suchomimus subsisted on an aquatic diet. (See a gallery of Suchomimus pictures.)
Classified as a "spinosaur," Suchomimus was similar to a few other large theropods of the middle Cretaceous period, including (you guessed it) the gigantic Spinosaurus, probably the largest carnivorous dinosaur that ever lived, as well as slightly smaller predators like Carcharodontosaurus and the amusingly named Irritator.Because only a single, possibly juvenile fossil of Suchomimus has been found, it's not clear what size this dinosaur actually attained. Some paleontologists believe Suchomimus, when fully grown, may have reached lengths of over 40 feet and weights of over 6 tons, putting it in the same class as Tyrannosaurus Rex (which lived tens of millions of years later).
