Was Spinosaurus Bigger than Giganotosaurus?

There is always a new top predator in each of the Jurassic Park and World movies. In the original trilogy, the primary antagonists were always the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Velociraptors, and the Spinosaurus. In the newest trilogy, however, a new dino was added that might just top any of the previous ones! Giganotosaurus is one of the largest carnivores to have ever lived, but how does it compare to the original trilogy? Let’s find out if the Spinosaurus was bigger than the Giganotosaurus!

Which movies are Spinosaurus and Giganotosaurus from?

Spinosaurus was a large spinosaurid dinosaur that became well-known after its appearance in the third installment of the original Jurassic Park trilogy, Jurassic Park III. It was the primary antagonist of the humans in the movie and was one of the primary plot points in the entire film. It was finally confronted by a Tyrannosaurus Rex near the end of the film, and a fight ensued (it can’t be a Jurassic Park movie without a T-Rex fight!).

Giganotosaurus is a newer addition to the franchise and was first mentioned in Jurassic World. DNA from Giganotosaurus was used in the creation of Indominus Rex, the super-creature created on the island. We later encounter a Giganotosaurus in Jurassic World Dominion in the Biosyn Sanctuary located in the Dolomite Mountains in Italy. The Giganotosaurus becomes the primary dinosaur antagonist and chases the humans in a very similar manner to the rest of the movies in which they are chased.

Was Spinosaurus Bigger than Giganotosaurus?

There is a lot of conversation around both of these dinosaurs, especially with the newest movie being released! Historically, Spinosaurus was considered to be the largest of all known terrestrial carnivores, but a quote from Jurassic World Dominion seems to prove this wrong:

“What is that?”
“Giganotosaurus. Biggest carnivore the world has ever seen.”

Jurassic Park Wiki

That statement seems to directly contradict what we know about Spinosaurus. Let’s investigate!

Comparison

Spinosaurus was a semi-aquatic predatory dinosaur that was first discovered in 1912 during a fossil dig in Egypt. Since then, more fossils have been added to the collection, and additional material has helped scientists to guess more accurately the size of the ancient lizard. Current estimates show that Spinosaurus measured between 49-52 feet long and weighed between 7 and 21 metric tons.

Giganotosaurus was a fully terrestrial carnivore that was first discovered in 1993 and named in 1995. Like many fossils, however, only small portions were found, making accurate estimations incredibly difficult. Since the species was found, guesses as to its exact size have been extremely variable. In fact, papers published as recently as 2019 still hold the exact debate of Giganotosaurus up for question. The broad estimates show Giganotosaurus to be between 39 and 43 feet long and weigh between 4.2-15.2 tons.

Until new estimates come out, Spinosaurus is likely the largest carnivore to have ever walked on earth.

When did Spinosaurus and Giganotosaurus live?

Spinosaurus and Giganotosaurus actually lived on the earth at the same time! Both lived in the Late Cretaceous period, not long before the mass extinction that killed off most of the life on earth. Still, a showdown between them would have been impossible, as they lived in different parts of the world that weren’t connected by a land bridge.

Spinosaurus lived between 99-93.5 million years ago.

Giganotosaurus lived between 99.6 and 97 million years ago.

Where did Spinosaurus and Giganotosaurus live?

Spinosaurus was first discovered during a fossil dig in Egypt. The species likely lived a semi-aquatic life in the northern portion of Africa. Spinosaurus probably lived in and around tidal flats and mangrove forests.

Giganotosaurus tells us a bit about where it lived just from its name! “Giganotosaurus” means “giant southern lizard,” with the first fossils being found around the Candeleros Formation of Patagonia in South America. Some of the largest animals to have ever lived were in this region during this time on earth, including Dreadnoughtus, Argentinosaurus, and others.

What is the largest dinosaur in all of the Jurassic World movies?

Although the Spinosaurus is the largest terrestrial predator ever seen on earth, it isn’t the largest dinosaur to have been seen in the Jurassic World movies! That honor goes to the Dreadnoughtus, a dinosaur whose name actually means “without fear.” Dreadnoughtus was one of the largest terrestrial animals ever known, measuring around 85 feet long, standing two stories tall, and weighing over 50 tons.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Herschel Hoffmeyer/Shutterstock.com