Scientists have discovered an impressive new marine predator that has been named Khinjaria acuta. The creature was almost named Shaytania pandaemonium, but the researchers felt that name was too evil. The discovery highlights the diversity in marine ecosystems before the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Illustration of Khinjaria acuta. (Image Credit: Andrey Atuchin).
Modern ocean ecosystems are dominated by a few predators, such as orcas, great white sharks and leopard seals. However, 66 million years ago, just before the extinction of the dinosaurs, the oceans were populated by a wide variety of top marine predators, that feasted on large and diverse prey species. Paleontologists have discovered a new species of a marine lizard with dagger-like teeth, measuring between seven and eight metres long, about the same size as an orca. The creature, named Khinjaria acuta was a mososaur, which are related to Komodo dragons and anacondas, and are not dinosaurs. Khinjaria dominated the oceans when Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops roamed the land.
The powerful jaws of Khinjaria allowed it to seize pray. The species was described based on a skull and a partial skeleton recovered from a phosphate mine near Casablanca in Morocco. There were many mososaur species which all had different teeth that were suitable for particular hunting styles. The teeth had evolved to be suitable for crushing, tearing or cutting. The discovery of the fossil increases the diversity of marine predators known to exist near Morocco. Modern marine ecosystems do not have the same diversity of top predators, indicating a major change in marine ecosystems since the time of the dinosaurs.
A paper describing the findings has been published in Cretaceous Research. Lead author of the study, Nick Longrich says, “What’s remarkable here is the sheer diversity of top predators. We have multiple species growing larger than a great white shark, and they’re top predators, but they all have different teeth, suggesting they’re hunting in different ways. This is one of the most diverse marine faunas seen anywhere, at any time in history, and it existed just before the marine reptiles and the dinosaurs went extinct.” The mosasaurs, along with plesiosaurs and giant sea turtles disappeared from the Earth along with the dinosaurs.
Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
