Researchers have identified what could be the largest marine reptile to ever swim in the world’s waters, a creature about the length of two buses that lived almost 202 million years ago at the end of the Triassic period. The fossilized jawbone of this massive fish lizard was discovered on a beach in Somerset, UK in 2016 and a similar jawbone was found in the area in 2020. The researchers believe that these fossils belong to two giant fish lizards, which they have named Ichthyotitan severens.
Dean Lomax, a paleontologist from the University of Bristol, explains that based on the size of the jawbones, which are over a meter and two meters long, they estimate that the whole animal was about 25 meters long, roughly the length of a blue whale. However, more evidence, such as the entire skeleton and skull of the animal, is needed to confirm its size. The researchers believe that Ichthyotitan severensisin went extinct following a mass extinction event.
These fish lizards were the top predators of the seas in their time, akin to killer whales. Previous giant fish-lizard fossils have been found in Asia and North America, but the discovery of these jawbones in Britain suggests a new species may have existed. Neil Kelley, another paleontologist involved in the study, notes that the late Triassic period, during which these fossils were found, is a crucial time period for the fossil record of ichthyosaurs.
Further research is needed to fully understand the significance of these findings and to determine the exact species to which these giant fish lizards belong. Understanding these ancient marine reptiles can provide valuable insights into the history of life on Earth and the evolution of marine ecosystems.