The unveiling of the skull took place amidst gasps and awe as the sheet covering the fossil was pulled back, revealing the colossal pliosaur in all its glory. Local palaeontologist Steve Etches expressed his amazement, stating, "It's one of the best fossils I've ever worked on. What makes it unique is it's complete." Unlike many other specimens, this fossil boasts a fully intact lower jaw and upper skull, providing an unparalleled level of detail.
The pliosaur's skull, longer than most humans are tall, showcases 130 razor-sharp teeth, particularly menacing at the front. These teeth, marked with fine ridges, indicate the creature's ability to pierce flesh swiftly, preparing for a rapid second attack. With a length of 10-12 meters and powerful flipper-like limbs for high-speed propulsion, the pliosaur stood as the apex predator in the ancient oceans, often likened to an underwater T. rex.
Dr. Andre Rowe from Bristol University notes, "The animal would have been so massive that I think it would have been able to prey effectively on anything that was unfortunate enough to be in its space." Fossil evidence suggests the pliosaur's diet included other reptiles such as plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs, as well as other pliosaurs.
The extraordinary recovery of this fossil began with a chance discovery by fossil enthusiast Phil Jacobs, who found the tip of the pliosaur's snout on a beach near Kimmeridge Bay. The subsequent extraction involved a daring abseil down a cliff to access the fossil embedded within the rock. The courage and dedication displayed during this meticulous process have been rewarded with a fossil that scientists worldwide are eager to study.
Palaeobiologist Prof Emily Rayfield, who examined the fossil, highlighted the insights gained from the specimen, such as the powerful bite force of the pliosaur, estimated at about 33,000 newtons. The skull's features, including small pits on the snout and a hole for a third eye, suggest the creature possessed acute senses for detecting changes in water pressure and locating prey in murky waters.
The pliosaur skull will be showcased in a special David Attenborough program on BBC One on New Year's Day. Meanwhile, Steve Etches plans to display the fossil at the Etches Collection museum in Kimmeridge next year, with hopes of uncovering more of the specimen before the rapidly eroding cliff takes its toll. This discovery stands as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to delve into the mysteries of an ancient marine predator and its role in the prehistoric ecosystem.
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2023-12-11 09:25:53Z
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