Date: October 2, 2017
Source: University of Edinburgh
A newly identified prehistoric
marine predator has shed light on the origins of the distant relatives of
modern crocodiles.
The discovery reveals that an
extinct group of aquatic reptiles evolved millions of years earlier than was
previously thought, researchers say.
The new species was a
10-foot-long animal that lived in the warm, shallow seas that covered much of
what is now Europe. Powerful jaws and big, serrated teeth allowed it to feed on
large prey, such as prehistoric squid.
Palaeontologists at the
University of Edinburgh discovered the new species -- which dates back 163
million years -- by studying a heavily damaged fossil which was held in the
Natural History Museum's archives for almost 150 years.
The ancient reptile -- called
Ieldraan melkshamensis -- has been nicknamed the Melksham Monster after the
town in England where it was unearthed.
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