Palaeontologist have excavated the 2-metre-long skull of an ancient terrifying marine carnivore known as a Pliosaur from a cliffside on the Jurassic Coast in southern England, and one of the fossil hunters responsible for the recovery believes that the rest of the creature may still be preserved deep within the rock.
Earth’s oceans have played host to countless terrifying predators over the course of its long and tumultuous history, but few could come close to the power and size of the pliosaur — a species of aquatic reptile that dominated Earth’s oceans some 150 million years ago.
Driven through the water by a powerful tail and four enormous paddle-like limbs, the apex predator featured powerful snapping jaws that were capable of snapping down on their prey with 33,000 newtons. For context, computer modelling places the bite force of a modern day great white shark at around 18,000 newtons.
As reported by the BBC, the skull of one such enormous predator was recently excavated from a cliffside overlooking Englands Jurassic coast, after fossil hunter Phil Jacobs stumbled across the snout of the aquatic beast lying on the beach below. Jacobs quickly sought the help of friend and local palaeontologist Steve Etches, who helped stretcher the fossil to safety. A drone survey later pinpointed the remainder of the skull, which was found 15 metres above ground level embedded in the stoney cliffside.
"It's one of the best fossils I've ever worked on. What makes it unique is it's complete," said Etches in an interview with the BBC. "The lower jaw and the upper skull are meshed together, as they would be in life. Worldwide, there's hardly any specimens ever found to that level of detail, and if they are, a lot of the bits are missing, whereas this, although it's slightly distorted — it's got every bone present.”
The daring excavation saw archaeologists suspended from ropes as they worked to free ancient bone from the surrounding rock. Thankfully, their careful work bore fruit, and the skull has since been painstakingly cleaned to reveal myriad features that provide insights into the hunting capabilities of the carnivorous reptile.
For example, Bristol University paleobiologist professor Emily Rayfield was able to glean insights into the muscles that once articulated the vast the skull by observing circular holes present towards the rear of the head, which suggest that the Pliosaur clamped its jaws down on its prey, and twisted, much like a crocodile. Tiny pits were also discovered marking the pliosaur’s snout, which may have housed glands that evolved to detect shifts in water pressure, and another opening in the skull was identified that indicated the existence of a third eye.
"I stake my life the rest of the animal is there, and it really should come out because it's in a very rapidly eroding environment,” explained Etches to the BBC. “This part of the cliff line is going back by feet a year. And it won't be very long before the rest of the pliosaur drops out and gets lost. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity."
The skull is set to be the focus of the upcoming BBC special Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster, which will air at 20:00 GMT on BBC One and iPlayer. The skull will be put on public display at The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life in Dorset, England, later in 2024.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
Image credit: BBC Studios
