Discovery of a Giant Marine Reptile
Approximately 202 million years ago, a creature the size of two buses, about 25 meters in length, lived on Earth. Scientists in the UK believe they have discovered the largest marine creature in history thanks to a find by amateur fossil collectors.
Ichthyotitan severnensis
Two fossilized jaw bones were found on a beach in Somerset, UK, in 2016 and 2020 by amateur paleontologists, leading to the identification of the species as Ichthyotitan severnensis, or the Severn giant fisher. The size of the jaws suggests that this creature was massive, comparable to the size of a blue whale.
Extinction of the Giant Ichthyosaur
Paleontologist Dean Lomax from the University of Bristol noted that the giant ichthyosaur became extinct during a mass extinction event, and subsequent ichthyosaurs did not reach the same enormous sizes. Further evidence, such as a complete skull and skeleton, is needed to confirm the exact size of this incredible prehistoric creature.
