Giant Spinosaurid Larger Than a Pickup Truck Found in Thailand: “Sam Ran Spinosaurid” – “Fish-Hunting Crane” by the Riverbanks of the Dinosaur Era!

In December 2025, the world of paleontology was “awakened” by the discovery of a giant spinosaurid from Thailand. The animal, approximately 7.6–8 meters (over 25 feet) long – longer than a standard pickup truck – lived 125 million years ago (Early Cretaceous) and primarily hunted fish along riverbanks.

The fossil was unearthed at the Sam Ran locality, Khok Kruat Formation (Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeastern Thailand). This is the first time such a large spinosaurid has been clearly documented in Southeast Asia. Adun Samathi (the lead researcher on the doctoral dissertation) presented the findings at the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 2025 conference.

Key features:

• The humerus is nearly 2 meters long — one of the largest forelimb bones ever found in Asian spinosaurids.
•  The teeth and jaw are long, narrow, and resemble those of a crocodile or stork (hence some Vietnamese jokingly call it “Hell Stork”).
• The bone structure suggests a semi-aquatic lifestyle: hunting along riverbanks, capable of swimming well, similar to Spinosaurus in North Africa.

This animal lived at the same time as other Thai dinosaurs such as Phuwiangosaurus (long-necked dinosaur) and Kinnareemimus (hairy theropod dinosaur). Reconstruction images show two young spinosaurids hunting a young Phuwiangosaurus on the riverbank, while the adult rests nearby.

Because it doesn’t yet have an official scientific name, researchers are temporarily calling it “Sam Ran spinosaurid.” This discovery shows that spinosaurids not only existed in Africa and Europe but also thrived in Southeast Asia, and proves that the Cretaceous river ecosystem in Thailand was very rich.

As of June 2026, the specimen is being prepared for detailed description. Thailand continues to affirm itself as a “paradise” for giant spinosaurid dinosaurs—these “hellish herons” that hunted fish along rivers 125 million years ago.