Detection of 5.5cm long fossil marine animals

Recently, a group of archaeologists has identified the largest recorded fossil tooth, of a prehistoric species close to the modern crocodile, found. in the UK.

The tooth, in which the cracked head, about 5.5 cm long, was discovered near Chesil beach in Dorset. Archaeologists call the creature possessing this fossil tooth, Dakosaurus maximus .

This fossil was identified by researchers at Edinburgh University and the Museum of Natural History in London, after the fossil was purchased at an online auction by a fossil collector.

New fossil marine animal teeth were found

Scientists said that the case of finding this fossil is very unusual, it was dredged from the sea floor instead of found on the coast or excavated from the ground as usual.

After being identified by British paleontologists, this fossil was included in the fossil collection of the Natural History Museum.

Dakosaurus maximus, when mature, is about 4.5 meters long, living in shallow waters covering Europe about 152 million years ago. This species belongs to a family of marine animals called thalattosuchians , cousins ​​of crocodiles today.

The unusual shape of this animal's skull and teeth allows it to eat prey similar to that of modern killer whales. This ancient creature will use short and wide jaws to swallow a large fish and bite the meat from larger prey.

The study of the research group was published in the journal Historical Biology.

Dr. Mark Young, of the School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh said: 'With its size, Dakosaurus has very large teeth. However, it is not the largest carnivorous marine animal at the time of its life, and can swim with larger marine reptiles, making the sea at the end of the Jurassic period really dangerous. '