The Jurassic seas were populated by giants twice the size of modern killer whales: this is demonstrated by four enormous fossil vertebrae dating back to 152 million years ago, found by chance in the deposits of a museum in Oxfordshire, in the United Kingdom. The study is published by paleontologists at the University of Portsmouth in the journal Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association.
The vertebrae belong to large marine reptiles, the pliosaurs, characterized by a large elongated head (similar to that of the crocodile), four powerful fins and a relatively short tail. From examining the finds, the researchers deduced that these late Jurassic giants could reach a length of between 9.8 and 14.4 meters.
“We know these pliosaurs were very fearsome animals that swam in the seas that covered Oxfordshire 145-152 million years ago,” says paleontologist David Martill. “They had massive skulls with huge protruding dagger-like teeth. They were high on the marine food chain and likely preyed on ichthyosaurs, long-necked plesiosaurs, and possibly even smaller marine crocodilians. We know they slaughtered smaller marine reptiles because you can see the marks of the bitten into ichthyosaur bones”.
Source: Ansa
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