The scientists excavated fossils that belong to the “terrifying” sea lizard species, Khinjaria acuta, which had lived alongside the bygone dinosaurs Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops in the ocean 66 million years ago. Measured at approximately 26 feet (8 m) long, which is a size for a killer whale, this ancient creature had equivalently sized black teeth and a terrifying appearance.” This is the description given by Dr. Nick Longrich from the University of Bath, who was the lead researcher for this study. The lizard’s teeth and jaw of a real predator (which had a “terrible biting force”) made the lizard an effective hunter in ancient seas.
A Mosasaurus distant relative, this dagger-sharp form was indeed coined as Khinjaria acuta, a blend of the Arabic word “khinja,” which means dagger, and the Latin word “acuta,” which means sharp. The presented data reveals some fish and caticular species of marine fauna were found in nearby Morocco during the disappearance of the last marine reptiles and dinosaurs. It was this timeframe that saw a major transition in the marine ecosystem, which enabled the advance of modern-day large marine predators, which include whales and seals, as well as other sleeker fish species such as swordfish and tuna.
Longrich argued that the level of top predator diversity during the Late Cretaceous was stunningly higher compared with that of the present marine communities, which had fewer apex predator species. The cause of this observation in the extended past is still a matter of scientific research. This brings up a somewhat forgotten question: the dynamics of the ancient marine ecosystem and how life evolved over millions of years. The finding of Khinjaria acuta reveals a peep into the hazardous ambiance of the ancient oceans, where fish, sea turtles, and other marine life watched their lives as the canaries in the coal mine.
Source-BBC NEWS