Regal Tribune

Thursday, January 21, 2021
Log in
  • National News
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Science
  • Health
  • About Regal Tribune

Pages

  • About Regal Tribune
  • Body of Woman Discovered in Gwinnett Place Mall Identified
  • Compulsory Vaccines for Children
  • Contact Us
  • High Tides Are the New Danger in U.S. States
  • Homepage
  • Our Team
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • Terms of Use

Recent Posts

  • Canadian Teen Dies on School Trip from Toxic Shock Syndrome Jun 29, 2018
  • Unesco Removes the Belize Coral Reef from Its List of Endangered Sites Jun 28, 2018
  • Tonight, the Blood Moon Coincides with the Longest Lunar Eclipse of the Century Jun 27, 2018
  • People Are Paying Hundreds of Dollars Just to Own Official Fortnite Disc Copies Jun 27, 2018
  • Researchers Reassess the Fermi Paradox, Showing We’re Probably Alone in the Universe (Study) Jun 26, 2018
  • The Latest Xbox Update Might Bring Keyboard and Mouse Support on the Console Jun 26, 2018
  • Researchers Invent Miraculous Plaster that Effectively Treats Oral Ulcers Jun 25, 2018

Colossal Crocodile Fossil Unearthed in Tunisia

Jan 14, 2016 By Jose Buttner Leave a Comment

Email, RSS Follow

crocodile fossilA colossal crocodile fossil has been unearthed in Tunisia, and according to researchers this ancient predator was roughly the size of a bus.

The fascinating discovery, presented on Monday, January 11 in the journal Cretaceous Research, can be attributed to a team of experts affiliated with the National Geographic Society’s Committee for Research and Exploration.

Federico Fanti, post-doctoral researcher at the University of Bologna, was in charge with the excavation works, conducted in Tunisia, right in the immediate proximity of the Sahara Desert.

The area yielded an unexpectedly rich crop of fossils, pertaining to an enormous gator species, and also to several types of turtles and fish, which are yet to be classified.

Remnants of the ancient crocodile, which has recently been baptized “Machimosaurus rex”, were discovered relatively easy, given the fact that they were lying beneath just several inches of geological material.

Paleontologists spent a couple of days removing all the sediment enveloping the creature’s skull, while the rest of the fossil was much more speedily unearthed, as it was stretched out, almost in plain sight.

The now extinct reptile is thought to have measured approximately 32 feet in length, with its giant skull being over 60 inches long.

With such gargantuan proportions, the predator would’ve been twice as big as modern-day crocodiles, and almost as sizable as a bus, its crushing weight having been estimated at a staggering 6,600 pounds.

As study authors explain, Machimosaurus rex was an aquatic species, which thrived in this currently arid and inhospitable area, which used to be an ocean-side lagoon in ancient times.

From the shape and structure of its body, researchers could determine that this prehistoric crocodile had all the attributes of a skilled hunter.

According to them, the fearsome reptile probably relied on sit-and-wait attacks when trying to seize its quarry. Lurking in the background, the stealth predator likely ambushed its prey taking it completely by surprise, this strategy being much more effective than carrying out a speedy pursuit or relying on its tremendous strength.

Just as well, it may be that Machimosaurus rex was also a scavenger, sparing as much energy as possible by feeding on dead animals instead.

As far as its source of sustenance is concerned, researchers speculate that the apex predator probably favored large fish but also turtles, being able to quickly smash their hard protective shells with its short, yet incredibly strong jaws and round teeth.

Researchers are in awe with their findings not just because of the overwhelming size of this newly unearthed ancient crocodile.

Even more remarkably, this previously undocumented species actually calls into question prior scientific consensus, that had appeared to be set in stone.

More precisely, Machimosaurus rex actually pertains to a family of marine reptiles called teleosauridae, formerly believed to have disappeared approximately 150 million years ago, during a mass extinction which occurred as the Jurassic Period drew to a close.

And yet, this newly identified fossil dates back to around 130 million to 120 million years ago, which suggests that some teleosaurid reptiles managed to survive long after their supposed demise, inhabiting the seas even during the Early Cretaceous.

Now, faced with such indisputable evidence, researchers are trying to revise their prior theories, in order to fully comprehend what exactly occurred during the Late Jurassic, when a large number of ichthyosaurs and sauropods allegedly disappeared from the face of the Earth.

Image Source: Tasnim News

Email, RSS Follow

Filed Under: Science

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 11 other subscribers

Recent Articles

Starbucks coffee.

California Family to Sue Starbucks over Drinking Coffee with Blood

Feb 11, 2018 By Benjamin Teh Leave a Comment

uber app

Portland Officials Learned Uber Activated Software to Deceive Ride Service Regulators

Sep 16, 2017 By Jose Buttner Leave a Comment

tesla model s

Tesla’s Free Software Upgrade for Drivers Affected by Irma to Expire on Saturday

Sep 12, 2017 By Jose Buttner Leave a Comment

hurricane aftermath

Companies Assess the Economic Toll of Two Hurricanes Hitting the U.S.

Sep 11, 2017 By Lori Martinez Leave a Comment

chipotle restaurant

Chipotle Announced Nationwide Launch for Famous Cheese Sauce, Queso

Sep 6, 2017 By Lori Martinez Leave a Comment

bitcoin coins

China Is the First Nation to React to Initial Coin Offerings

Sep 4, 2017 By Benjamin Teh Leave a Comment

people sheltering from flood

Best Buy Gives Its Apologies for Water Price Gouging after Hurricane Harvey

Sep 2, 2017 By Graziella Paone Leave a Comment

uber driver

Uber Will Quit Surveillance Feature after Riders End Their Trips

Aug 31, 2017 By Benjamin Teh Leave a Comment

uber car

Uber Introduces New Flexible Driver Benefits

Aug 24, 2017 By Graziella Paone Leave a Comment

mountain view

Interior Department Kills Study on Health Hazards of Appalachian Mountaintop Removal Coal Mine

Aug 23, 2017 By Jose Buttner Leave a Comment

volkswagen minibus

Volkswagen Is Bringing Back the Sassy ID Buzz Minibus in Electric Version

Aug 21, 2017 By Benjamin Teh Leave a Comment

howard schultz interview

Starbucks CEO Speaks out about Charlottesville Violence

Aug 19, 2017 By Jose Buttner Leave a Comment

michael o'leary

Ryanair CEO Opposes Collaboration between Lufthansa and Insolvent Rival Air Berlin

Aug 18, 2017 By Lori Martinez Leave a Comment

aldi logo

Aldi Distances Itself from Competitors with New Grocery Delivery System

Aug 14, 2017 By Jose Buttner Leave a Comment

Related Articles

  • Blood moon appearing big on the night sky

    Tonight, the Blood Moon Coincides with the Longest Lunar Eclipse of the Century

    Jun 27, 2018
  • The Milky Way seen from Earth

    Researchers Reassess the Fermi Paradox, Showing We’re Probably Alone in the Universe (Study)

    Jun 26, 2018
  • Space junk orbiting around Earth

    Researchers Launch the First Satellite that Picks Up Space Junk from Earth’s Orbit

    Jun 25, 2018
  • Stonehenge at the sunset

    The Theorem of Pythagoras Might Have Been Behind the Building of Stonehenge

    Jun 22, 2018
  • Portrait of Barack Obama in the White House

    Newly Discovered Underwater Fossil Gets Named After Obama (Study)

    Jun 20, 2018
  • Chris Hadfield during his traditional astronaut photoshoot

    Astronaut Chris Hadfield Doesn’t Think Humans Will Get to Mars Too Soon

    Jun 18, 2018
  • Opportunity Rover on the surface of Mars

    NASA’s Opportunity Rover Is Struggling with a Severe Dust Storm on Mars

    Jun 12, 2018
  • Planets orbiting around a red dwarf star

    The Kepler Satellite Spots New Solar System with Planets the Size of Earth

    Jun 11, 2018
  • Rocket launching into space from a cosmodrome

    Russian Astronauts Explain Why They Urinate on a Tire Before Getting Launched into Space

    Jun 8, 2018
  • Pluto as seen during the New Horizons mission

    Researchers Spot Interesting Methane Dunes on Pluto’s Icy Surface (Study)

    Jun 5, 2018

Categories

  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • National News
  • Nature
  • Science
  • Technology
  • U.S.

Copyright © 2021RegalTribune.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Contact

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more.