KIMMERIDGE, UK – In a thrilling discovery, scientists have unearthed a remarkably intact skull of a monstrous and deadly sea creature that once ruled the waters off England’s coast millions of years ago. This formidable creature, a pliosaur, would have been a sight to behold.
The skull of this marine leviathan stretches to an impressive six feet, hinting at the colossal size of this ancient sea behemoth. The pliosaur was equipped with a third eye and snout glands, features believed to have assisted in prey detection. Boasting 130 teeth and a bite more powerful than a crocodile’s, it was a terror to other reptiles and even its own species.
Although pliosaurs coexisted with dinosaurs, they share a closer kinship with lizards or snakes. An expert drew parallels between the pliosaur and the “underwater T. rex,” due to its predatory prowess and enormity.
The newly found fossil is among the most complete pliosaur skulls ever found. It is set to star in a BBC One special, hosted by David Attenborough, on New Year’s Day, with a U.S. airing on PBS scheduled for February 14th.
The fossil was first noticed by Phil Jacobs, a friend of paleontologist Steve Etches, during a stroll on the beach near Kimmeridge Bay in Dorset, along England’s World Heritage Jurassic Coast. After a painstaking months-long excavation from a cliffside and meticulous cleaning, the skull is set to be exhibited next year at the Etches Collection Museum in Kimmeridge.
Etches is confident that more of the fossil remains hidden in the rapidly eroding cliffs. He eagerly anticipates the potential discovery, declaring, “I stake my life the rest of the animal is there.”