The Beast from 134,994,000 B.I.D. (Before Intelligent Design)
...or 135 million years ago to the scientific and sane in our society... Jage
Ancient 'Godzilla' Crocodile Found in Argentina
Unlike present-day crocodiles, the Dakosaurus andeniensis lived entirely under water and had fins instead of legs, said Ohio State University researcher Diego Pol, who determined that the creature was an ancestor of the crocodile.
Discovered at the southern tip of South America in 1996 by paleontologists Zulma Gasparini and Luis Spalletti of the University of La Plata, in Argentina, the three fossils were identified using an advanced computer program, Science magazine reported on Friday.
Its the size of the animal that makes it a "Godzilla", explained Pol, adding that contemporaries of Dakosaurus andenienis were smaller and more delicate, with long, skinny snouts and needle-like teeth for catching small fish and mollusks.
Godzilla, instead, had a short head, a jaw 47 centimeters (1.5 feet) long with interlocking serrated teeth up to 10.2 centimeters (four inches) long.
Pol said Godzilla was a fearsome predator even among the monstruous creatures that roamed the seas at its time and represented a remarkable jump in size, tooth and jaw shape in the sea crocodile's evolution.
One of the fossils was unearthed in Argentina's western Mendoza province, while the other two were found in southern Neuquen province.
posted by Jage at Sunday, November 13, 2005
1 Comments:
Apparently you haven't gotten the word, Jage, that the world was created some 6000 years ago and before the fall from grace dinosaurs were about the size of the average man. Clearly we need to arrange a trip for you to the museum of church-literature-based reality in Eureka Springs. The whole group can go and, if the Passion Play is still running we can make a weekend of it. Pictures in front of the statue, etc. Actually I really want to say how excellent your posts are and how happy I am to have you at Matilda's. One thing I have to say is that beyach can spot talent. She cannot seem to marry any, but she can sure spot it.
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