Archeologists unearthed a 28-foot dolphin-like predator from a mountain range in Nevada. The animal went extinct about 90 million years ago. The fossils were examined at a field office in Chicago, where scientists discovered interesting details about this “lizard-eating ruler of the sea.”
One tough sea creature
The sea creature, which was named ‘Jim’ after its finder Jim Holstein, was thought to rule the waters. It’s size and massive teeth allowed it to take on large predators, according to LiveScience.com.
“Our new carnivorous ichthyosaur (its scientific name) was a top predator, meaning that it had the same role as killer whales in the sea and Tyrannosaurus or the big cats of today on land,” Sander said. “This is the first predator in a long row of predators down to this day. The players have changed, but not the game.”
What the finding tells us
“A top predator is a very good indicator that the ecosystem was complete, because if the highest level in the food web is there, the lower levels must have been there as well. Otherwise it won’t work,” Sander said.
Scientists say the discovery sheds light on how an underwater ecosystem works, which could prove useful in the future.
“Ecosystem recovery has been a big topic of research for a while, partially because we as humans are causing one of the biggest extinctions right now,” Sander said.
“People thus have a keen interest in knowing how long it takes to rebuild things once you have destroyed them.”
Other interesting findings
Unique discoveries like this one are always happening. Check out these other interesting science stories on Edrugstore.com:
- Study: Starvation Didn’t Cause Extinction of Saber-Tooth Cats
- Study: Dinosaurs Shake Tail Feathers To Attract Mate
