Meet the enormous ancient predators that stalked the land, dominated the oceans and terrorised the skies

Colossal cretaceous carnivore

SPINOSAURUS 112-97 MYA

Move over T rex: the spine lizard was the true king

Nearly three storeys high and longer than a bus, the Spinosaurus was the largest carnivorous dinosaur to walk the Earth. The ‘spine lizard’ roamed the coastal plains and swamps of North Africa in the mid-Cretaceous period. Unlike the Tyrannosaurus rex, Spinosaurus’ teeth were not serrated, so they were not used for tearing through flesh; its conical teeth, powerful jaws and long snout were better suited to snapping up large fish. It’s thought that Spinosaurus was the first dinosaur to swim, and that it spent a lot of time in the water where it could snatch aquatic creatures with its razor-sharp claws. There is evidence to suggest Spinosaurus’ snout openings and skull cavities were part of a pressuredetection system, so it could sense the movements of fish even in murky waters.

The giant carnivore’s defining feature was the 1.5-metre-high ‘sail’ on its back, formed by tall vertebral spines. This may have been a display to attract mates or intimidate rivals, help regulate temperature, or possibly support a camel-like hump of stored fat that Spinosaurus could build up when food was plentiful.

Mega monitor lizard

VARANUS PRISCUS 1.8 MYA-40,000 YA

Also known as Megalania, these giant goannas of eastern Australia were the largest land lizards of all time. They could grow to lengths of over five metres and weigh as much as 600 kilograms. Megalania had razor-sharp teeth and claws, perfect for tearing into its prey. These large lizards compensated for their lack of speed by lying in wait to ambush victims, and sought out carrion using their excellent sense of smell.