The largest marine reptile that ever turned out to be ‘Ichthyosaurus’: almost equivalent to Megaladon!
May 2, 2022
0
Mosasaurus, also known as the Maas lizard, lived millions of years ago It was a giant crocodile-like marine reptile that was thought to have its name and structure
Mosasaurus, also known as the Maas lizard, lived millions of years ago It was a giant crocodile-like marine reptile that was thought to have its name and structure may sound familiar, as a mosasaur-like creature was also featured in the movie Jurassic World.
Researchers thought these creatures were the largest marine reptile ever discovered. However, a study found that a much larger species than Mosasaurus sea reptile His remains were exhumed.
Remains of largest marine reptile found in Swiss Alps
In the group of creatures classified as marine reptiles, the largest creature that lived in the past was believed to be the Mosasaurus species. Martin Sander and Pablo Romero Perez de Villar of the University of Bonn managed to refute this claim with their research. With the results of the carefully conducted research in the Swiss Alps fossils of the largest marine reptile ever discovered revealed.
Researchers were shocked by the results of the examinations they conducted on the teeth, rib fragments and possible spines they found. According to the results of the research published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, these giant teeth and spine fragments belonged to a giant Ichthyosaurus (Ichthyosaurus) measuring exactly 21 meters in length. This too The marine reptile is almost the same size as the Megaladon, which is considered one of the largest marine animals. show that. Of course, the blue whale is still the largest marine animal, measuring 33 meters in length and weighing more than 150 tons.
Another thing that surprised the researchers was that until now there was no evidence that ichthyosaurs could be that large. The team says the ichthyosaurs may have gotten smaller over time. It is estimated that ichthyosaurs lived about 57 million years ago, making their fossils extremely difficult to find. Another interesting topic of the study is the ichthyosaurs, which are thought to have giant teeth. It is possible that both toothed and toothless species lived at the same time. shows. It is expected that the new information obtained will provide insight into the investigations to be conducted in the coming days.
I’m Maurice Knox, a professional news writer with a focus on science. I work for Div Bracket. My articles cover everything from the latest scientific breakthroughs to advances in technology and medicine. I have a passion for understanding the world around us and helping people stay informed about important developments in science and beyond.