During the Cretaceous period, the sea monsters we read about in legend would very much have been part of everyday reality in Earth’s prehistoric seas.
Palaeontologists have now discovered the remains of a gargantuan dinosaur belonging to the mosasaur family in the Antarctica.
Researchers have analysed the remains and were able to confirm that the beasts skull measured a ridiculous 33ft in length, earning it the title of biggest ever found in the region.
Researchers have fondly named their new prehistoric pet Kaikaifilu hervei, which is derived from the Chilean Mapuche culture’s sea monster legend.
“Prior to this research, the known mosasaur remains from Antarctica provided no evidence for the presence of very large predators like Kaikaifilu, in an environment where plesiosaurs were especially abundant,” said palaeontologist Rodrigo Otero from the University of Chile.
“The new find complements one expected ecological element of the Antarctic ecosystem during the latest Cretaceous.”
