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In the early 20th century, Stromer discovered four new species of dinosaurs, including the predator Spinosaurus, and brought the fossils to Munich. During WWII the fossils where destroyed by Allied bombing only drawings remained.

At least that was until Josh Smith, Ph.D., assistant professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis reported in the Journal of Paleontology the rediscovery of two photographs of the holotype of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus as it was reposited in the Palaontologische Staatssammlung Munchen prior to 1944.

In June, 2000, while researching in Germany , Smith happened upon the photographs in the Palaontologische archives of the Museum, after Ernst Stromer\\\\\\\'s son, Wolfgang Stromer, donated them to the museum in 1995.

Smith, J. B., Lamanna, M. C., Mayr, H., and Lacovara, K. J. (2006). New information regarding the holotype of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, Stromer, 1915. J. Paleont. 80(2): 400-406.

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