Ichthyovenator laosensis

Overview

Ichthyovenator, meaning "fish hunter," was a unique spinosaurid dinosaur that lived approximately 120-113 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous in what is now Laos, Southeast Asia. What makes Ichthyovenator special is its bizarre double-sail on its back—something never seen in any other dinosaur!

---

Taxonomy & Classification

• Clade: Theropoda
• Family: Spinosauridae
• Diet: Carnivorous (primarily fish)
• Locomotion: Bipedal

Ichthyovenator was related to Spinosaurus, Baryonyx, and nearby Siamosaurus.

---

Physical Characteristics

Size & Build

• Length: About 9 meters (30 feet)
• Height: About 2.5 meters (8 feet) at the hip
• Weight: About 2,000 kg (2.2 tons)
• Build: Typical spinosaurid—long snout, fish-eating teeth

The Double Sail!

Ichthyovenator's most amazing feature:

• Two separate humps or sails on its back!
• A gap between the hip region and back
• Created a wavy, sinuous profile
• Unlike any other dinosaur ever found!
• We still don't know exactly what it was for

---

That Weird Sail

Unlike Spinosaurus

Most spinosaurids had one sail, but Ichthyovenator had:

• A sail over the back (dorsal) vertebrae
• A dip or gap in the middle
• Another sail over the hip (sacral) region
• Overall effect: like a sine wave along its back!

What Was It For?

Scientists guess the double sail might have been for:

• Display to attract mates or intimidate rivals
• Species recognition—"I'm an Ichthyovenator!"
• Temperature control
• We honestly don't know for sure!
• It makes Ichthyovenator look truly unique

---

Life in Ancient Laos

The Grès Supérieurs Formation

Ichthyovenator lived in a lost world:

• Savannakhet Province in modern Laos
• Ancient river and lake system
• Warm, tropical climate
• Plenty of fish to hunt
• Part of ancient Southeast Asia

Fishing for a Living

Like all spinosaurids:

• Long, narrow snout for catching fish
• Conical teeth to grip slippery prey
• Probably waded in shallow water
• May have also eaten small land animals

---

Asian Spinosaurids

Neighbors and Relatives

Ichthyovenator wasn't alone in Asia:

Spinosaurid	Location	Special Feature
Ichthyovenator	Laos	Double sail
Siamosaurus	Thailand	First Asian spinosaurid
Spinosaurid teeth	Japan, China	Prove wide distribution

Asia had its own spinosaurid dynasty!

---

Discovery Story

Found in Laos

• Discovered in 2010 in Laos
• Named in 2012 by Allain and colleagues
• About 40% of skeleton preserved
• Includes crucial spine and hip bones
• One of the best spinosaurid finds from Asia!

What the Name Means

• "Ichthyo" = fish (Greek)
• "Venator" = hunter (Latin)
• So: "Fish Hunter"—perfect for a spinosaurid!
• "laosensis" = from Laos

---

What Makes It Special

A Unique Dinosaur

Ichthyovenator stands out because:

• Only dinosaur with a double-humped sail
• Best spinosaurid skeleton from Asia
• Shows spinosaurids evolved unique features in different regions
• Proves spinosaurids were diverse and varied
• A truly one-of-a-kind dinosaur!

---

The Incomplete Puzzle

What We're Missing

We still don't have:

• A complete skull
• The tail
• Complete arms and legs
• But the backbone tells us so much!

---

Cool Facts

• Ichthyovenator is the only dinosaur with a double-humped sail!
• Its name means "fish hunter"—exactly what it did
• Found in Laos, making it one of few dinosaurs from that country
• The wavy back is completely unique in the dinosaur world
• About 40% of its skeleton was found—excellent for a spinosaurid
• Shows that spinosaurids evolved different body plans across the world
• Scientists still debate what the double sail was used for

---

Ichthyovenator was nature's experiment in weird—a fish-hunting dinosaur with a double-humped back that proves evolution never stops surprising us!