The arid Sahara desert used to be the place where the largest marine creatures lived

From fossils found in the Sahara desert, northern Mali, scientists recreate the image of extinct animals and discover many surprises.

From fossils found in the Sahara desert, northern Mali, scientists recreate the image of extinct animals and discover many surprises.

According to the reconstructed image, some of the largest species of catfish and sea snakes have ever lived in an area that today is the Sahara Desert . The 50m deep sea and covering the vast area of ​​3,000 km 2 has now become the largest sand desert in the world - the Sahara desert.

According to Guardian, the marine sediment it left is filled with fossils, allowing scientists to study a panorama of the area before, showing it is full of life.

Picture 1 of The arid Sahara desert used to be the place where the largest marine creatures lived

Scientists have recreated extinct animals from fossils found in the northern desert of Mali.(Photo: American Museum of Natural History 2019).

About 50-100 million years ago, northern Mali looked like Puerto Rico today. When the sun shines on the first mangrove forests, mollusks have been present on shallow seabeds, according to Maureen O'Leary, a leading paleontologist.

According to the study of the group, at the end of the Cretaceous, the early Paleogene period, the Sahara was the home of giant species: 1.6m long catfish, 12m long sea snake and 1.2m long pycnodont fish.

Picture 2 of The arid Sahara desert used to be the place where the largest marine creatures lived

Fossilized fish teeth and reproduced versions.(Photo: American Museum of Natural History 2019).

Researchers of the evolution of organisms also talk about island gigantism , where isolated animals on the island can grow very large. Maybe because they have more resources, or have less predators, more or both.

"We came up with the idea that gigantism could have been associated with other oases," Ms O'Leary said.

Although the Sahara desert has fewer water and plants today, there are still signs of life. It is also home to many people.

However, according to Ms O'Lear, in exchange for research work, many people have died in the northern beaches of Mali.

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Update 15 July 2019
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