New fossil found in England makes pliosaur bigger predator than T-rex

[ag337]

New fossil found in England makes pliosaur bigger predator than T-rex

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2009/10/27/2009-10-27_new_fossil_found_in_england_makes_pliosaur_biggest_predator_among_the_dinosaurs.html#ixzz0VeMVf2i4

BY Eitan Gavish
DAILY NEWS WRITER

T-rex was a wimp. The recent discovery of a fossilized skull in England crowns the new king of predatory beasts: a 53-foot “sea monster” called a pliosaur.     

The 155-million-year-old monster’s fossilized skull was found on the shores of Weymouth Bay, England, along a 95-mile stretch of land that’s been dubbed Jurassic Coast. The findings have been documented on fossil-hunting Web site Jurassiccoast.com.

Local dino-bone hunter Kevan Sheehan found large fragments of the skull – which is 90% complete – over several years. 

“In 40 years of collecting, I have often been green with envy at some of the finds other people have made,” said Sheehan. “But now, when someone shows me a find, I can say: ‘That's not a fossil....this pliosaur, that's a fossil!’ ”

Experts believe that the skull - which measures over 6-feet - contains the largest fossil jaw ever found in England, or the world, and that it means pliosaurs were powerful enough to rip a small car in half.

“This is one of the largest, if not the largest, pliosaur skull found anywhere in the world,” said Dr. David Martill of Portsmouth University, “and contains features that have not been seen before. It could be a species new to science.”

The pliosaurs were marine reptiles with a head similar to a crocodile and large, paddle-like fins. These predators lived throughout the Jurassic period. Their fossils dwarf those of the 40-foot long T-rex of the Cretaceous era. 

Fossils of two pliosaurs - dubbed “Predator X” and “The Monster” - were discovered in Svalbard, Norway, but neither beast comes close to the size of the Weymouth Bay pliosaur.

The fossil is set to go on display at the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester, with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Dorset and Devon county councils. 

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime find,” said Richard Edmonds, earth science manager for the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

[Rubystars]

That's so cool!

This reminds me of that Charlie the Unicorn thing on Youtube though. "It's a magical Liopleurodon Charlie!"

[ag337]

That's so cool!

This reminds me of that Charlie the Unicorn thing on Youtube though. "It's a magical Liopleurodon Charlie!"

Rubystars,

Yes, I thought this was pretty cool too.....

[Spiraling Leopard]

Clone it and let it loose in the middle east.

[Ulli]

Clone it and let it loose in the middle east.

Great idea. I would prefer to put some of this in the Persian Gulf. There are lots of fat Muzzies and screetch owls on the beaches. The animal will always have a rich setted table. 

[briann]

Clone it and let it loose in the middle east.

I like that idea.  We shall call it, Muslamic Park.

[angryChineseKahanist]

Will it eat muslims?

[Ulli]

Will it eat muslims?

Perhaps, wealthy arab oil-Muzzies are smelly, but very fat. A lot of animals like smelly things.

I remember the great dog of my uncle. He got often rotten meat. The more it was in rot, the more he liked it. Animals have not the same taste like humen have.