A completely new species of sea monster has been discovered in Mexico, measuring up to 5.2 meters long, with a crocodile-like snout and is an extremely terrifying predator.
According to research led by paleontologist Herto Rivea-Sylva from the Desert Museum (Mexico), the new species has been named Yaguarasaurus regiomontanus and is a member of the Mosasaur family.
Mosasaur refers to a group of large, highly aggressive marine reptiles that lived alongside dinosaurs. Many mosasaurs were top predators in their marine environments, and the newly discovered specimen may have been one of them.
Portrait of the mosasaur Yaguarasaurus regiomontanus – (Graphic: DESERT MUSEUM).
The creature was excavated in fossil form from the multi-layered limestone of the Agua Nueva Formation in Mexico, dating back up to 90 million years, placing it in the Cretaceous period.
This famous layer has previously revealed many exquisitely preserved species of fish and marine reptiles, formed in an open shelf environment under low oxygen conditions.
The Yaguarasaurus regiomontanus specimen is one of the largest, most complete, and most fearsome found to date.
An exquisite fossil piece from the monster – (Photo: DESERT MUSEUM).
According to Sci-News, analysis results show that it was 5.2 meters long when alive, making it one of the earliest known large mosasaurs.
Like other mosasaurs found around the world, this species was an extremely dangerous predator, larger than its contemporaneous marine creatures. A total of 40 mosasaur species have been recorded, with the largest specimen measuring up to 12 meters.
The closest modern relative of mosasaurs is the snake.
Features of the Yaguarasaurus regiomontanus suggest that it belongs to a genus of mosasaurs called Plioplatecarpus and is large compared to other species in the same genus.
Graphic representations of the creature depict a dragon-like body, with fins resembling those of contemporary marine reptiles, a crocodile-like head, and a fearsome snake-like tongue.
According to the authors, this creature is an important discovery as it emerged after a mass extinction event in the Cretaceous period.
Unfortunately, like all other dinosaurs, pterosaurs, ichthyosaurs, and mosasaurs, it went extinct after the gigantic Chicxulub asteroid impacted Earth 66 million years ago.
The study on this new “monster dragon” species has just been published in the scientific journal Journal of South American Earth Sciences.
