Thursday, October 29, 2009

Fossilized Skull of "Seamonster" Found in UK



The skull, found off the UK's coast, belongs to a pliosaur which roamed the oceans 150 million years ago. Paleontologists have determined that the pliosaur measured up to 16 meters in length based on its 2.4 meter long skull. The pliosaur had a short neck and a head with powerful jaws that easily attack and eat other ocean-dwelling dinosaurs, like the ichthyosaurs that were about the size of dolphins. Humans, had they been around or anywhere near this monstrous dinosaur, wouldn't have stood a chance at our size of 1.5 meters!

Usually, when pliosaur skulls are found they are not complete or have been crushed. This skull is not only for the most part intact, but might belong to the largest pliosaur to have been found yet. The coastal area where it was found is eroding rapidly, so the rest of the pliosaurs body (which is guessed to still be buried) will probably turn up. However, that could take decades! For now, scientists are using this creature's skull to further learn about these dinosaurs and the world they lived in.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8322000/8322629.stm

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