fossilized sea lizard from the 'nightmarish' dinosaur era discovered
fossilized sea lizard from the 'nightmarish' dinosaur era discovered
By Santos Sofia Ferreira
from BBC News
Researchers claim to have found bones from a "nightmarish" type of sea lizard that lived 66 million years ago and hunted the waters.
With "dagger-like" teeth, Khinjaria acuta measured about 26 feet (8 meters) in length, which is the same length as an orca.
According to researchers, the species coexisted with Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops, among other dinosaurs.
The investigation of a skull and other skeletal remains discovered at a Moroccan mine served as the basis for the study.
The study's lead author, Dr. Nick Longrich of the University of Bath, described the "freakish" species as having "a demon's face and teeth like knives."
Researchers described the creature as having a "nightmarish appearance" and "a terrible biting force" because to its strong jaw and teeth.
It also helped the group come up with the ideal moniker for the species.
"Literally meaning "sharp dagger" or "sharp knife," the Arabic word khinjar and the Latin word acuta mean "sharp" and "dagger," respectively," Dr. Longrich continued.
Source bbc.com
Khinjaria acuta belongs to the mosasaur family of enormous marine lizards, which are descended from modern-day Komodo dragons and anacondas.
The lizard, according to researchers, was only one of several apex predators that lived in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco.
"This is one of the most diverse marine faunas seen anywhere, at any time in history, and it existed just before the marine reptiles and the dinosaurs went extinct," stated Dr. Longrich.
About 66 million years ago, near the conclusion of the Late Cretaceous epoch, both dinosaurs and mosasaurs were extinct.
The seas became more accessible to whales, seals, swordfish, and tuna as a result of their disappearance. However, it also meant that there are fewer apex predators in contemporary marine food networks.
"There seems to have been a huge change in the ecosystem structure in the past 66 million years," stated Dr. Longrich.
We don't find the same remarkable diversity of apex predators in contemporary marine communities as we did in the Late Cretaceous.
We're not sure if the presence of marine reptiles, the prey, or maybe the surroundings contributed to the altered ecology.
"But this was an incredibly dangerous time to be a fish, a sea turtle, or even a marine reptile."
Khinjaria acuta belongs to the mosasaur family of enormous marine lizards, which are descended from modern-day Komodo dragons and anacondas.
The lizard, according to researchers, was only one of several apex predators that lived in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco.
"This is one of the most diverse marine faunas seen anywhere, at any time in history, and it existed just before the marine reptiles and the dinosaurs went extinct," stated Dr. Longrich.
About 66 million years ago, near the conclusion of the Late Cretaceous epoch, both dinosaurs and mosasaurs were extinct.
The seas became more accessible to whales, seals, swordfish, and tuna as a result of their disappearance. However, it also meant that there are fewer apex predators in contemporary marine food networks.
"There seems to have been a huge change in the ecosystem structure in the past 66 million years," stated Dr. Longrich.
We don't find the same remarkable diversity of apex predators in contemporary marine communities as we did in the Late Cretaceous.
We're not sure if the presence of marine reptiles, the prey, or maybe the surroundings contributed to the altered ecology.
"But this was an incredibly dangerous time to be a fish, a sea turtle, or even a marine reptile."
Source bbc.com
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