The terrifying sea lizard that roamed the coasts of Africa 66 million years ago had deadly teeth like sharks that could cut fish in half with a single bite.
- Scientists have discovered the fossilized remains of a new species of mosasaur
- Mosasuarii were giant sea lizards that lived next to dinosaurs
- This species was found to have shark-like teeth, which gave it a deadly bite.
- The discovery suggests that mosaic diversity reached its peak just before the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs struck 66 million years ago.
A prehistoric reptile that roamed the coasts of Africa 66 million years ago had deadly teeth like sharks that could cut a fish in half with a bite, a study showed.
Researchers have discovered the fossilized remains of a new species of mosasaur – an ancient sea lizard from the time of the dinosaurs.
It has been found that this species has shark-like teeth, which have given it a deadly slicing bite.
The discovery adds to the diversity of late Cretaceous marine reptiles and suggests that their diversity peaked just before the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs struck 66 million years ago, according to researchers.
Researchers have discovered the fossilized remains of a new species of mosasaur – an ancient sea lizard from the dinosaur era
The fossilized remains of the new species, called Xenodens calminechari, were discovered in Maastrichtian phosphates in Morocco by researchers at the University of Bath.
Dr. Nick Longrich, senior lecturer at the Milner Center for Development at the University of Bath and lead author of the study, said: “66 million years ago, Africa’s coasts were the most dangerous seas in the world.
“The diversity of predators was different from anything else seen on the planet.
“The new mosasaur is added to a rapidly growing list of known marine reptiles from the last Cretaceous of Morocco, which at that time was submerged under a tropical sea.
“A great diversity of mosasaurs lived here. Some were giant predators, with deep dives, like modern whales, others with huge teeth and up to ten meters long, they were top predators like orcas, others ate crustaceans like modern sea otters – and then it was weird mic Xenodens.
“They coexisted with long-necked plesiosaurs, giant tortoises and sword-toothed fish.
While the sea lizard was only the same size as a small porpoise, its sharp teeth would have allowed it to attack large fish, cutting them in half and taking large bites.
“The new mosasaur adds another dangerous predator to the mix.”
While the sea lizard was only the same size as a small seal, its cutting teeth would have allowed it to strike its weight, cutting the fish in half and taking large bites from larger animals.
“They’re like knives sold in the old late-night TV commercial – they’ll cut anything,” Dr. Longrich said.
Mosasaurs lived with dinosaurs before the asteroid struck and destroyed 90% of all species on Earth.
A reconstruction of his skull reveals that his teeth were clenched, creating a similar jagged effect.
However, the new study indicates that the ecosystem was not in decline before the asteroid hit, and instead, marine reptiles are likely to actually expand in diversity.
Dr. Nour-Eddine Jalil of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris and Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, said: .
“Xenodens calminechari is further evidence of the extraordinary paleobiodiversity of the Phosphate Sea.
“It’s as if nature is struggling to find all the combinations for a finer exploitation of food sources.”