Sobek the Spinosaurus - Field Museum

A spinosaurus fossil suspended from the ceiling in the museums' Stanley Field Hall.

Catch Sobek the Spinosaurus as it prowls overhead at the Field Museum. This fish-eating predator lived about 95 million years ago and swam through rivers using its crocodile-shaped body and powerful paddle-like tail. Reigning across ancient North Africa, this semi-aquatic hunter helps scientists understand prehistoric life through comparisons with modern animals.

After a public vote of more than 31,000 people, the museum’s Spinosaurus now has a name: Sobek—inspired by the crocodile-headed Egyptian god and the dinosaur’s long, croc-like snout.

See how Spinosaurus swam through Cretaceous North Africa

With its crocodile-shaped body and paddle-like tail, watch how this water-loving dinosaur prowled through the rivers of North Africa during the Cretaceous Period, about 95 million years ago.