[Grav!ty]

Predator X was the most fearsome animal ever to swim the oceans

Lewis Smith
March 17, 2009

The pliosaur scientists have called Predator X, crushed his prey with a biting force of 33,000lb per square inch



A marine monster described as the most fearsome animal ever to swim in the oceans boasted a bite up to 11 times as strong as that of Tyrannosaurus rex.

The fossil remains of the huge pliosaur were dug up last summer from the permafrost on Svalbard, a Norwegian island close to the North Pole.

Analysis revealed that it was a turbo-charged swimmer. Its front flippers allowed the creature, dubbed Predator X, to cruise along comfortably but when prey came into range the power of its hind flippers kicked in to provide extra acceleration.

Measurements of its jaw and the killing power of its dagger-like teeth have shown that it could bite down with a force of 33,000lb per square inch compared with T. rex’s 3,000lb per square inch. Alligators have the strongest bite today with about 2,500lb per square inch.

Researchers have been astonished by the size of the reptile, which exceeded even that of another pliosaur, called The Monster, which was found at the same site a year earlier.

Predator X is thought to have been at least 50 feet long, perhaps more, and measurements of its bulk suggest that it would have weighed in at 45 tonnes.


More at: Times Online

[kanaloa]

You know, I was just thinking. Given the fact life began in the water, it's rather ironic the 'dominant' species on the planet are mostly land animals. One might think it'd be the other way around given roughly 75% of our planet is covered with water. Beyond Dolphins, most other ocean/water life I know of isn't especially intelligent in the grander scheme of things - even though you do see some fairly remarkable evolutionary traits there. And even dolphins are widely believed to have once been land animals, similar to a dog. Mammals seems to rule the planet - sea and water alike.

Interesting...