Jurassic Period Artifact: Largest Pliosaur Skull Discovered
On December 11, in the English county of Dorset, in the cliffs of the so-called Jurassic Coast, a gigantic skull of a pliosaur was discovered—a prehistoric marine reptile that inhabited the ocean 150 million years ago. The fossilized skull of the largest marine predator measures two meters in length and is one of the most complete and well-preserved specimens of an extinct dinosaur, providing scientists with much more information about this formidable sea monster.
As noted by local paleontologist Steve Etches in a statement to the BBC,
"The lower jaw and the upper part of the skull are joined together, as they were in life. It is unlikely that anywhere in the world a specimen with such a level of detail has been found."
Paleontologists not only highlight the excellent preservation of the skull but also of all 130 teeth adorning the predator's jaws. The backside of each tooth is covered with thin ridges, which served to allow the pliosaur to quickly withdraw its teeth from the prey's body and deliver the next strike.
According to paleobiologist Emily Rayfield, who studied the pliosaur's skull, its maximum bite force could have been around 33,000 Newtons. For comparison, the bite force of a modern saltwater crocodile is 16,000 Newtons, and that of a human is only 700 Newtons. Without a doubt, this was the most deadly and dangerous marine predator of its era, second in strength only to its terrestrial counterpart, the tyrannosaur.
The remains of the prehistoric giant were accidentally discovered by amateur paleontologist Phil Jacobs during a beach walk near the village of Kimmeridge. Jacobs stumbled upon the protruding tip of the fossilized nose of the pliosaur in the coastal shale and called his colleague Steve Etches since he couldn't carry the find alone. In search of the rest of the fossilized skull, paleontologists surveyed the coastal cliffs using a drone. As a result, the skull was discovered in the nearby rocks, but reaching the find required scientists to descend from the top of the cliff on a safety rope, risking their lives.
In 2024, the restored pliosaur will be presented in the exhibition of the Etches Collection museum in Kimmeridge. A special episode of David Attenborough's program on the BBC will also be dedicated to this grand discovery. Before that, Etches hopes to find the remaining part of the fossilized dinosaur skeleton, which may be enclosed in the surrounding rocks. The search needs to be conducted as quickly as possible because this part of the Jurassic Coast cliffs is eroding at a rate of several feet per year, and the pliosaur bones may be lost forever.
The Jurassic Coast stretches for 160 km from Dorset to Devon. Within these 160 km is the Earth's history spanning 185 million years, including the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods—the Mesozoic era. The age of the oldest rocks on the coast is 250 million years.