A new study shows that a giant mosasaur with teeth like a killer whale ruled the oceans around Morocco.
The extinct predator, Thalassotitan atrox, grew to about 30 to 33 feet (9 to 10 meters) long and was probably fed on by any other marine reptile it came across. The name Thalassotitan means "sea giant" and the species name atrox means "cruel" in Greek.
Researchers were able to identify the remains of T. atrox thanks to the discovery of fossils near Casablanca.
According to the researchers, the teeth of T. atrox were damaged while attacking and biting prey.
After a giant asteroid hit Earth 66 million years ago, the dinosaurs went extinct. There was a rich and diverse life before the asteroid hit.
Nour- Eddine Jalil is a collection manager at the Palaeontology Research Center at the Museum. The role of the megapredator at the top of the food chain has been taken on byThalassotitan.
The ocean that once covered Kansas was ruled by an 18-foot long sea monster.
Modern lizards and snakes are distantly related to a group of marine reptiles called mosasaurs. They ruled the world's oceans for a long time. One mosasaur specimen from a different species in Russia was estimated to be about 17 meters long.
It wasn't the biggest mosasaur but it was still a top predator and filled a similar role to killer whales and great white sharks.
The study states that T. atrox evolved a shorter, wider muzzle that increased its bite force and short, conical killer whale-like teeth that could endure the increased forces when biting large prey.
Evidence of acid damage was found in the bones of at least three other mosasaurs in the same rock bed as T. atrox.
The study was published in August.
It was originally published on Live Science
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