Camarillasaurus
"Camarillas lizard"
Type species Camarillasaurus cirugedae
- Lived
- 126 to 121 million years ago, Early Cretaceous
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Group
- Theropods, Spinosauridae
- Found in
- Spain
- Named by
- Sánchez-Hernández and Benton 2014
Where its fossils were found
The evidence
Today
125 million years ago
Habitat
Rivers crossed broad floodplains in the Camarillas Formation of Spain. Plant eaters in these rocks included Iguanodon, Gideonmantellia and Delapparentia.
Field notes
About Camarillasaurus
What it was like
Camarillasaurus was a large meat eater known from a partial skeleton. When it was first described, scientists placed it among the ceratosaurs. Later studies found that its bones match those of the spinosaurs, the long-snouted hunters that often lived near water, and it is now thought to be a member of that family.
Its world
It lived about 126 to 121 million years ago, in the Early Cretaceous, in what is now northeastern Spain. Its bones come from the Camarillas Formation, where it shared the land with the plant eaters Iguanodon, Gideonmantellia and Delapparentia.
How it was found
Sánchez-Hernández and Benton named Camarillasaurus cirugedae in 2014, from a single find. It is one of several spinosaurs now known from Spain and Portugal, alongside Baryonyx and Vallibonavenatrix.
Field gallery
More views of Camarillasaurus
Scenes reconstructed from the available fossil evidence.
Lived alongside
Found in the same rock formations
A rock formation can hold fossils laid down millions of years apart, so not every animal here met Camarillasaurus.
The evidence
The science behind Camarillasaurus
Which parts of the picture come from its own bones, and which come from its relatives.
From its own fossils
- The partial skeleton includes back, hip and tail vertebrae, ribs and fragments of the shoulder and shin.
- Later finds added the rear of the lower jaw, a thigh bone and a foot claw, probably from the type individual. A rough bump beside the jaw joint helps distinguish it from other spinosaurs.
- Its distinctive tail vertebrae include a long middle-tail spine, and an isolated tall spine comes from the rear back or hip region.
Borrowed from relatives
- Its missing snout is restored after Baryonyx and Suchomimus, and its missing skull roof and eye region after Irritator.
- Missing arm joints are compared with Baryonyx and Suchomimus, while missing hand and foot joints are also compared with Torvosaurus.
Still unknown
- The complete shape of its snout and upper skull.
- The full outline of its back and tail, including how far the tall spines extended.
- Its skin covering and color.
Discovery timeline
- 2014Named itSánchez-Hernández & Benton
- 2021Family treeSamathi, Sander & Chanthasit
- 2025RedescriptionRauhut, Canudo & Castanera
Key papers
The research behind what we know of Camarillasaurus
Named it
Named Camarillasaurus from a partial skeleton and initially interpreted it as an early ceratosaur.
Filling the ceratosaur gap: a new ceratosaurian theropod from the Early Cretaceous of Spain. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 59: 581-600
No link available
Family tree
Compared tail vertebrae with other spinosaurs and reassigned Camarillasaurus to the spinosaur family.
A spinosaurid from Thailand (Sao Khua Formation, Early Cretaceous) and a reassessment of Camarillasaurus cirugedae from the Early Cretaceous of Spain. Historical Biology 33: 3480-3494
Read the paper : A spinosaurid from Thailand (Sao Khua Formation, Early Cretaceous) and a reassessment of Camarillasaurus cirugedae from the Early Cretaceous of Spain (opens in a new tab)Redescription
Restudied the original bones and new jaw and limb material, confirming a distinct spinosaurid and correcting earlier bone identifications.
Revision of the theropod dinosaur Camarillasaurus cirugedae from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) of Teruel province, Spain. Palaeontologia Electronica
Read the paper : Revision of the theropod dinosaur Camarillasaurus cirugedae from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) of Teruel province, Spain (opens in a new tab)
Close relatives
Other members of Spinosauridae
Sources: Wikidata