Baryonyx (meaning "heavy claw") is a species of medium to large sized carnivorous spinosaurid baryonychinae theropod dinosaur discovered in clay pits just south of Dorking, England,[1][2][3] and later reported from fossils found in northern Spain and Portugal. It contains one species, Baryonyx walkeri. Its fossils have been recovered from formations dating from the Hauterivian to early Barremian stages of the early CretaceousPeriod, around 130-125 million years ago.[4]
Baryonyx is one of the few known piscivorous (fish-eating) dinosaurs, with specialized adaptions like a long low snout with narrow jaws filled with finely serrated teeth and gaffe hook-like claws to help it hunt its main prey.
The species only known from a single subadult specimen, and because remains of its last meal were discovered fossilized in its ribcage; both remains of fish and a juvenile Iguanodon.
It gave true clear indication that spinosaurids wouldn't have only ate fish. It lived in the Barremian period of Early Cretaceous, around 125 million years ago.[5]
Replica head and forelimb of a Baryonyx walkeri skeleton.
Reconstruction of a dead Baryonyx walkeri - Natural History Museum, London
Map showing spinosaurid localities of southeast England; 1 is the Smokejack Clay Pit where Baryonyx was found
During the early Cretaceous, Wealden Lake covered the majority of what is now northern Europe. Alluvial plains and deltas spread from the uplands surrounding the area where London now stands and eventually ran into this great lake.
Baryonyx was discovered in these former deltas. In January 1983, an amateur fossil hunter named William Walker came across an enormous claw sticking out the side of a clay pit, Smokejacks Pit at Wallis Wood, Ockley near Dorking in Surrey. He received some help in retrieving the claw and several other fossil bones from the site. Subsequently he contacted the Natural History Museum in London about his find.
After realizing the tip was lost, he returned to the sit a week later and found it after an hour of searching. The second expedition also found a partial phalanx and rib. His son-in-law brought the claw to the Natural History Museum of London. Here, Alan Charig and Angela Milner identified it as a theropod dinosaur. In February, they found fragments and collected most of the skeleton in May and June due to severe weather in the pit. 8 team members and volunteers excavated 2 metric tons of matrix and 54 blocks over 3 weeks. Walker donated the claw and the Ockley Brick Company, who owned the pit, donated the remaining skeleton and necessary tools. This site had been explored for about 200 years, but there are no records of similar material being discovered. Most of the remains were crusted with Sikeston nodules and were In a matrix of fine sand, silt and clay. They were dislocated and scattered in a 5 by 2 meter area, most not far from their natural position. Certain remains were disturbed by bulldozers and others broken by machinery before discovery.
The siltstone matrix was hard and siderite was present, and thus difficult to prepare. They attempted to bathe the fossils in acid, but most was removed mechanically. Over a 6 year period of constant preparation with dental tools, aur mallets and microscopes used, they were clean. Almost 65% of the specimen was recovered, including premaxillae, left maxillae, both nasals, a left lacrimal, left prefrontal, left postorbital, the braincase and occiput, denteries, the back of the mandible, teeth, cervical, caudals and dorsals, ribs, both scapulae, both coracoids, both humeri, left radius and ulnar, finger bones and unguals, the hip, the upper end of the left and lower of the right femur, right fibula, foot bones and an ungual. This specimen was known as BMNH R9951 but is now known as NHMUK VP R9951. Charig and Milner (1986) named it then as Baryonyx walkeri, meaning "Walker's heavy claw". The claw was assumed to have been on the foot as in dromaeosaurs. A year earlier, the dinosaur was presented during a lecture at a conference on dinosaur systematics from Drumheller, Canada.
They then called their work preliminary because 70% of the remains were cleaned, promising a better description. Baryonyx was the first large Early Cretaceous theropod, the last record holder beingEustreptospondylus. It was featured in worldwide press and was given the nickname "Claws"[6] (a spin of Steven Spielberg's Jaws). In 1987, a BBC documentary was made on its discovery and a cast was made for NHM's display. Charig and Milner (1987) published a monograph that intensely described the specimen — one of the most complete spinosaurid specimens known[7][8][9].
The skeleton was fortunately found to be in a relatively intact state and was excavated by a team led by Alan J. Charig and Angela C. Milner of the Natural History Museum. They published their description of the type species, B. walkeri, in 1986, and named it after Walker. The skeleton can now be seen mounted at the Natural History Museum in London. About 70% of the skeleton was recovered including the skull, enabling paleontologists to make numerous deductions about Baryonyx from just this first specimen.
Some years after the initial discovery in England, a partial skull of Baryonyx was found in the Sala de los Infantes deposit of Burgos Province, Spain. Some of the famous and abundant dinosaur fossil tracks of La Rioja, near Burgos, have been identified as tracks of Baryonyx or other theropod genus, very similar to it. Two more claws have been found in the Niger Republic in West Africa, and another in 1996 on the Isle of Wight. In December 1997, a store of old fossils in the Isle of Wight Museum yielded a forearm of a Baryonyx. These remains had apparently been unearthed decades earlier on the southwest coast of the island, and had sat unclassified in a box in Carisbrooke Castle since that time.
Jaw fragments and teeth from Portugal, originally thought to belong to Suchosaurus girardi, were later identified as Baryonyx walkeri by paleontologist Eric Buffetaut.[4]
Description[]
Size of various spinosaurids (Baryonyx in yellow, second from left) compared with a human
Baryonyx estimated between 7.6 - 9 to potentially 10 meters long (25 to 30 feet) and around 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) tall at the hip. It probably weighed in the region of 1-2 tons, but analysis of the bones suggests that the only known specimen was not even fully grown.[10][11]
The fact that the skull and vertebra of B. walkeri holotype specimen (NHM R9951) do not appear to have fused likely suggests that the individual was not even fully grown, and the mature animal may have been much larger; as is the case for several other species of spinosaurids.
On the other hand, the specimen's fused sternum indicates that it may have been mature. The debate about the growth status of the only specimen of Baryonyx hasn't solved or determined to a conclusive result; yet. Baryonyx is a very unusual tetanuran. The design of its hips and pelvis suggests that it was bipedal for the purposes of walking from place to place; somewhat similar to other regular theropod genera. However, its forelimbs were noticeably large, well developed and robust for the anatomy of a regular theropod. This anatomical development has been speculated by some, that it might be a potential indicator of this genus of theropods spent at least some of its time on all fours; thought lately the notion or gait of total quadrupedalism even semi-quadrupedal behavior in spinosauridae is deemed quite unlikely and fallen out of favour.
That is because of the common anatomical constraints in theropods gait including megalisaurs and spinosaurs. A similar case of misunderstanding of anatomical capabilities is known to be occurred in its distant cousin Spinosaurus and even in a basal allosaurid with enlarged arm and claw structure Xuanhanosaurus.
Cast of the claw of the first finger which the name Baryonyx was based on, in Palais de la Découverte, Paris
Unlike in a vast majority dromaeosaurid species, this particular theropod had a long curved claw directly on the thumb of each hand, rather than the classical '' sickle claw '' on its hind legs. This claw measured at about 30.4 centimeters (12 inches).
Much of the middle and hind skull is unknown, with a full estimated length of 91-95 centimeters based on Suchomimus. It's skull is typical of baryonychines and spinosaurs: a long skull with large foramina and a premaxilla that forms a curve in the upper jaw. A subrostral notch is former by the premaxilla and maxilla articulating to form a gap. The maxilla housed the sinuses. A horny pad on the palate is indicated by a rugose texture. The nasals fused and the sagittal crest was above the eyes, which distinguishes it. The sagittal has a narrow triangular and sharp front that also distinguishes it. The lacrinal may have been a horn core, like the related and contemporaneous Ceratosuchops, and was nearly solid and triangular, unlike other spinosaurs. Sereno et al. thought that the names had misidentified some cranial and thus depicted the occiput as too deep, finding the skull was more low, long and narrow like Suchomimus. Most of the holotypic teeth were disarticulated, and few remained in the upper jaw and replacement teeth in the lower. They are recurved and cone-like, flattened from the side to create a near uniform curvature. The roots were very long and taper to the end.
The neck was initially thought to be the typical theropod curvature but it really turned out to be a straighter S-shaped. The cervicals taper to the head and become longer as they progress backwards the zygapophyses are flat and the epipophyses are well developed. The axis was small compared to the skull and also developed well in the hyposphene. The neural arches of the cervicals are not always sutured to the central and the neural spines are low and thin. From front-to-back, the neural spines of the dorsals went from short and stout to long and broad. An isolate neural spine is elongate and slender, indicating a short sail over the back. A marked constriction in both sides of the sacral or front caudal vertebra distinguishes it. The coracoid connects with the scapula in a peg-and-notch articulation, which is an autapomorphy. The forelimbs were robust and comparatively short, with the first finger holding a claw 31 centimeters long when following the holotype's curve. Aside from the size, these claws were still clearly theropod[12].
Anatomy[]
The only known; but well preserved Specimen of The Baryonyx
The skeleton was not arranged exactly as it would have been in life (articulated), so the paleontologists reconstructing it placed them on the front feet because these legs were so powerful.
The bone structure suggests a massive bulk of muscle ran down the sides of these front legs, and it therefore seems probable that the claws were placed here.
Theropod had a longer neck compared to average for other theropod species and genuses. The skull was set at an acute angle, not the 90° angle that is common in similar dinosaur theropods.[13]
Reconstruction of the holotype skull, Museon, The Hague
The long jaw was distinctly crocodilian, and had 96 teeth, twice as many as its relatives. Sixty-four of the teeth were placed in the lower jaw (mandible), and 32 large ones in the upper (maxilla). The snout probably bore a small crest.
According to a scientific study officially published in 2023; Spinosauridae families; in particular the specimens taken as exemplary samples and clade representatives from Baryonychidae; shows that their brain anatomy and skull cavity structure shows no identifiable differentiation or any significant deviation from other common, regular Theropod clades; particularly their genera megalosauridae.
Life restoration
The results interpreted as these theropods; presumably, showing similar behavior and traits with other general theropod species in terms of brain structure, overall preferences and behavior.[14][15]
A research has been conducted to show and truly legitemize the differentiation and validify of Suchosaurus by comparing, noting and analyzing the remains and skeleton of Baryonyx.[16]
Classification[]
Snouts of Cristatusaurus (A-C), Suchomimus (D-I), and Baryonyx (J-L)
Baryonyx skeleton at the National History Museum in London.
Another crocodile-like fish-eater, Suchomimus, was described in 1998, and placed together with Baryonyx in the subfamilyBaryonychinae.[17] The Baryonychinae is a subdivision of the family Spinosauridae, which contains other giant Cretaceous forms from Africa and South America, including the genera Spinosaurus and Irritator.
In 2004, paleontologists Hutt and suggested that Suchomimus tenerensis should be redefined as Baryonyx tenerensis due new discoveries that showed the vertebrae of Baryonyx were more similar to those of Suchomimus than previously thought.[18]
Additionally, the similarity between Baryonyx and Suchosaurus was noted by Buffetaut in 2007. Remains long attributed to Suchosaurus are now assigned to Baryonyx, and it is difficult to distinguish between remains of these two dinosaurs. Some minor differences do exist, such as ridges on the teeth of Suchosaurus. However, a similar range of variation exists among Baryonyx specimens, and even among various teeth assigned to the related Spinosaurus. Buffetaut suggested that this could mean that either various Baryonyx specimens should be broken up into separate taxa, or that Suchosaurus could be a senior synonym of Baryonyx. Buffetaut noted that if this is the case, the name Baryonyx would be replaced with Suchosaurus, which could be problematic given that the holotype specimen of Suchosaurus is only a single, worn tooth.[4]
Comparison between the snouts of Suchomimus (A, B), Cristatusaurus (C, D), and Baryonyx (E)
A distal claw fragment about 5 centimeters long and in the private hands of Martin Simpson. Munt and Hutt refer to it as "Weenyonyx", but it may actually be a juvenile Baryonyx. However, Darren Naish states that it can not be confirmed as a theropod. The name started as only a nickname until Molina-Perex and Larramendi (2019) published the name in a visual theropod faunal list. Additionally, the publication of Ceratosuchops and Riparovenator make this even more complicated. Apparently it is the fragmented end of an adult Baryonyx claw[19][20][21].
Paleobiology[]
Restoration of Baryonyx eating a fish
Published in 2023[22][23]; spinosaurid subfamilies, especially representatives of Baryonychinae, suggests that the brain structure and endocast shows no marked differences from any other common theropod; this may suggest similar behavior, especially between it and megalosaurids.[24][25][26]
Until the discovery of the closely-related Suchomimus, Baryonyx was the only known ( partially ) piscivorous (fish-eating) dinosaur; the crocodile-like jaws and large number of finely serated teeth suggested to scientists that Baryonyx could potentially be a true fish-eater.
The only known Baryonyx specimen gives a clear and irrefutable picture of these theropods diet ( and in general Spinosauridae and its subgroup Baryonychinae ), a number of scales and bones from the fish Lepidotes were discovered in the body cavity.
Additionally and noticeably digested bones of an immature Iguanodon were also found in direct association with the Baryonyx skeleton. A definitive proof, that Baryonyx and in general spinosauridae and baryonychinae; wouldn't have only gone after fish; and that it was quite likely a far more diverse and generalist carnivorous theropod.[27][28][29][30] Even more fossil evidence shows that the Portuguese/Iberian Baryonychinae ( could be identified as potentially Iberospinus or less likely other 4 to 5 species of Baryonychinae present within Iberian peninsula; as Spinosaurid Baryonychinae were very common throughout Iberia; perhaps in whole Europe continent as well ) fossils are, also, found directly associated with Iguanodon teeth.
This is formally listed; with other such associations as true support for opportunistic and generalist carnivorous feeding behaviour and preference in spinosaurs [31]
It was one of the biggest carnivores of its habitat; its only noteworthy competitor was the Neovenator; which was smaller than a fully grown Baryonyx; it was a relative of the Allosaurus.
Thought not depicted as a truly semiaquatic theropod, a 2022 study presented that it had the physical features fit for such an animal.[32]
Habitat Preference & Lifestyle[]
Thought not actually depicted as a truly semi-aquatic theropod; often described as more akin to a wader or a bear. A 2022 study actually presented that it had the physical features and capabilities that is deemed fit for such a habitation preference and lifestyle.[33]
However more research is throughly needed to fully confirm such a research; as there are a number of other published research takes; analyzes and rebukes the notion of entirely semi-aquatic Spinosauridae theory.
Paleoenvironment[]
Restoration of Baryonyx (left) along contemporary dinosaurs
The Weald Clay Formation is Hauterivian-Barremian aged, the holotype of Baryonyx found in the latter. The holotype was found in a fluvial or mud flat environment that bore shallow water, lagoons and marshes. This area was covered in fresh-brackish waters, with 2 rivers draining to the north. It was subtropical, similar to the modern Mediterranean. The Smokejacks Pit has many levels that does not necessitate a taxa being contemporaneous. In this pit are ornithopods, small sauropods, crocodiles, pterosaurs, lizards, amphibians, sharks and bony fishes. Also known are insects, ostriches, isopods, conchostracans, bivalves, herbaceous plants, ferns, horsetail, club mosses and conifers. The Wessex Formation bears a diverse dinosaur fauna met with fauna much similar to the Wealden Clay. It coexistence with Riparovenator and Ceratosuchops could be a potential indicator of niche partitioning.[34][35]. It was interpreted as a diving animal capable of subaqueous feeding, which was ancestral to Spinosauridae but strangely secondarily lost in it's sister taxon, Suchomimus[36][37][38][39].
It is speculated that Baryonyx would sit on a riverbank, resting on its powerful front legs, and then sweep fish from the river with its powerful striking claw.
This is similar to the modern bear or ursid species such as Grizzlies and Kodiaks; or modern riverbank avian species such as egrets; herons; pelicans and such. The long but low stance and angled head likely support this type behavior and probable lifestyle interpretation and theory.[40][41]
Baryonyx was first discovered in a clay pit in England in 1983 by an amateur fossil collector named William Walker. He found its one-foot-long hand claw and took it to the British Museum in London for help in finding out just what he had discovered. Like its relative, Spinosaurus, this dinosaur seems to have eaten mainly fish. It is thought that the huge claw on its hand would have been used to reach into the water and hook the fish.
The body and back legs of Baryonyx are similar to other theropod dinosaurs, but from there it gets a little peculiar. The arms were long and powerfully built. They had three fingers, one with an enormous claw. The skull was long and low with twice as many teeth - 128 - as most other theropods. Even more strangely, the nasal openings were located on top of its head, just in front of the eyes. It had teeth similar to Spinosaurus, long and conical with small serrations, which was also very unlike most theropods. Baryonyx's neck was long and relatively slender. It is no accident that its skull and teeth are very similar to those of a crocodile as they probably both had a diet consisting primarily of fish. Imagine them as huge reptilian grizzly bears, fishing with those terrible foot long claws.
Scientists are still studying the curiosities this dinosaur presents. It seems to combine some very primitive characteristics with more advanced dinosaurian design. As the only known specimen seems to have been a sub-adult, the upper limits of its size are still theoretical.
Baryonyx ("heavy claw") was discovered by an amateur fossil hunter, William J. Walker, who came across its enormous thumb claw in a clay pit in Surrey, England. Further digging by paleontologists revealed one of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs ever found in Great Britain. Baryonyx is a spinosaur; a member of the same group as the northern African dinosaurs Spinosaurus and Suchomimus. Baryonyx was smaller than these relatives but was still a big predator. It had a long, narrow snout filled with teeth that were cone-shaped-a real difference from the blade-shaped teeth of typical meat-eating dinosaurs. Because of the shape of its snout and teeth (both of which are similar to those of modern crocodiles and alligators), some paleontologists think that Baryonyx ate lots of fish. Others, however, think that it ate other dinosaurs, In fact, both ideas are supported by the original Baryonyx specimen from Surrey. In the guts of this dinosaur, paleontologists found the partially digested scales of large fish as well as the partially digested bones of a young Iguanodon. This strongly supports the idea that Baryonyx ate both fish and dinosaurs!
Fun Facts[]
Baryonyx was given the nickname "Claws because of its giant thumb claw.
Trivia[]
Baryonyx is the only definite spinosaur known from a northern continent.
Gallery[]
Appearance in other media[]
Jurassic Park[]
InGen created 5 Baryonyx in the InGen Compound in Isla Sorna. It was planned to live in its own paddock for Phase I of Jurassic Park, but never made it to Isla Nublar. Its paddock was located near a river, which could have supplied its residents with fish to eat. It is unknown if there were any surviving wild populations on Isla Sorna after Hurricane Clarissa hit the island.
Baryonyx is mentioned in Jurassic Park III as the survivors of the plane crash (caused by a Spinosaurus) try to figure out what type of dinosaur that chased them was. Baryonyx was also meant to appear in the film itself, but was cut. However, a logo featuring it was produced before the decision to cut the animal was made.
Baryonyx appeared on the Jurassic World website and is stated to be in the park, but it is unfortunately never seen in the film, it was seen in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, when it attempted to eat the crew in the lava chamber.
Baryonyx makes a major appearance in the action film, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. These Baryonyx clones are different enough from their real-life counterparts and the Jurassic World 'depicted' clones. These clones have a far much more crocodilian-like appearance such as noticeably armored back, lined with bony osteoderms and very crocodilian-like underbelly, a long but broad snout which makes it look like an actual caiman, a less pronounced notch in the upper jaw, pronated wrists like all of InGen’s cloned chirmeric theropods, as well as a much smaller thumb claw, and teeth more like a needlefish, quite differentiated and unlike their real-life counterparts.
However Thd Original depiction and modeling of Baryonyx from the first Jurassic World movie depicted and portrayed a highly different Baryonyx that was far much more closer to real animal.
The Baryonyx also makes another major appearance in the animated series, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous in its Season 2 follow up episodes. The three Baryonyxes, Grim, Limbo and Chaos are one of the main antagonists in the series. The design of these Baryonyxes are incredibly similar to the references in Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom.
A juvenile Baryonyx appeared in Jurassic World: Dominion in Malta at the Amber clave market attempting to kill Rainn Delacourt, nearly eating his whole arm. It was also seen being pitted in a fight against a juvenile Allosaurus.
Baryonyx appeared in a free Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom DLC for Jurassic World: Evolution, based on the Fallen Kingdom dinosaur.
Baryonyx is seen in the follow-up game, Jurassic World: Alive, where it is an Epic dinosaur, and the game requires you to dart 150 Baryonyx DNA to unlock it. A reddish Gen-2 version is also seen in the game.
Baryonyx also appear in Land before time series; several times.
Baryonyx appeared in several Jurassic Park based games including Jurassic Park: Builder, The Lost World: Jurassic Park PS game, Jurassic Park III: Park Builder, and LEGO Jurassic World. It was going to be in Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis before being cut.
↑ 4.04.14.2Buffetaut, E. (2007). "The spinosaurid dinosaur Baryonyx (Saurischia, Theropoda) in the Early Cretaceous of Portugal." Geological Magazine, 144(6): 1021-1025. doi:10.1017/S0016756807003883
↑Sereno, Beck, Dutheil, Gado, Larsson, Lyon, Marcot, Rauhut, Sadleir, Sidor, Varricchio, Wilson and Wilson. (1998). "A Long-Snouted Predatory Dinosaur from Africa and the Evolution of the Spinosaurids." Science, 282(5392): 1298–1302.
↑Hutt, S. and Newbery, P. (2004). "A new look at Baryonyx walkeri (Charig and Milner, 1986) based upon a recent fossil find from the Wealden." Symposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy. (online abstract).
