The sea monster species recently named Enalioetes schroederi features a long, crocodile-like head but has smooth skin and fins.
According to Sci-News, the fossil of the sea monster Enalioetes schroederi was excavated by paleontologists from the Stadthagen Formation in northwestern Germany long ago, but the truth about it has only recently been revealed.
It has been identified as a reptile that existed between 132 and 140 million years ago, during the early Cretaceous period, which is also the golden age of dinosaurs.
The head of the sea monster Enalioetes schroederi, reconstructed from a well-preserved 3D skull – (Graphic: Joschua Knüppe).
In a recent study, the research team led by Dr. Sven Sachs from the Bielefeld Natural History Museum (Germany) reported that they used new techniques to analyze the skull found over a century ago of a “strange creature.”
They realized that it was the fossil of a completely new species and genus within the ancient lineage of Metriorhynchids.
These bizarre creatures had smooth skin, with fins on their bodies and tails. The skull of the new species Enalioetes schroederi adds another characteristic to this lineage: A long, pointed snout reminiscent of a fish lizard.
This shape also resembles that of modern crocodiles, although it lacks the characteristic rough scales.
However, despite this resemblance, Enalioetes schroederi and the entire Metriorhynchids lineage are not fish lizards but are indeed an ancient type of crocodile.
According to a publication in the scientific journal Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, once the species was identified, the skull of this sea monster immediately became an extremely valuable specimen, providing further insights into the evolution of Metriorhynchids.
Dr. Mark Young from the University of Edinburgh (UK), a co-author, noted that this lineage of crocodiles evolved along a completely distinct path since the Jurassic period to adapt to a marine environment.
As a result, they lost their rough “armor” and developed fins.
“Enalioetes schroederi shows us that this trend continued into the Cretaceous period, as it has even larger eyes than other crocodile species and compact inner ears, suggesting they could swim faster,” the authors stated.
