Scientists discover giant sea predator Tylosaurus rex

Why in News?

Scientists have identified and described a new species of mosasaur named Tylosaurus rex, based on fossils discovered primarily in northern Texas. The findings were published in the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History.

About Tylosaurus rex

• Tylosaurus rex was a species of mosasaur, an extinct group of large marine reptiles.
• It lived during the Cretaceous Period, the same geological period in which dinosaurs dominated terrestrial ecosystems.
• The species name “rex” means “king,” making its full name mean “King of the Tylosaurs.”
• Fossils of the species are approximately 80 million years old.

Physical Characteristics

• It reached lengths of up to 13 metres (43 feet), roughly the size of a tour bus.
• Possessed:
  • Finely serrated teeth
  • Exceptionally powerful jaws
  • Streamlined body adapted for marine predation
• Fossil evidence suggests violent encounters and combat among individuals of the same species.

About Mosasaurs

• Mosasaurs were large marine reptiles that inhabited oceans worldwide during the Late Cretaceous.
• They were apex predators of their marine ecosystems.
• Despite their resemblance to crocodiles, they were more closely related to modern monitor lizards and snakes.
• They became extinct during the Cretaceous–Paleogene Extinction Event, which also wiped out non-avian dinosaurs.

Source: Science Daily