Baryonyx walkeri

† Baryonyx walkeri was an Early Cretaceous spinosaurid theropod discovered in Surrey, England in 1983 by amateur fossil hunter William Walker. Approximately 9–10 m long, this piscivorous carnivore bore a distinctive large thumb claw over 30 cm long and fish scales were found with its stomach contents. It is the best-known European spinosaurid and a key reference specimen for the subfamily Baryonychinae.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Baryonyx walkeri was a meat-eating predator. Carnivorous dinosaurs were active hunters or scavengers, equipped with sharp teeth and claws for catching and consuming prey. They occupied the top of the food chain in their ecosystems.

Time Period

Cretaceous Early Mesozoic Era

Baryonyx walkeri lived during the Cretaceous Early period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 145.0 to 100.5 million years ago.

The Cretaceous saw continued dinosaur evolution with the rise of ornithopods and early ceratopsians. Flowering plants first appeared and began to transform terrestrial ecosystems. Spinosaurus and other large theropods lived during this time.