"Jurassic 'Sea Murderer': Oldest Mega-Predator Challenges Preconceptions"
A newly described pliosaur megapredator called Lorrainosaurus, belonging to the clade of pliosaurs called Thalassophonea, has been identified as the oldest "megapredatory" pliosaur on record. With a 4.3-foot-long jaw and torpedo-shaped body, Lorrainosaurus was a giant sea predator that ruled the oceans during the Jurassic period. The fossils were first discovered in 1983 but were re-analyzed in a recent study, leading to the identification of a previously unknown genus. Lorrainosaurus represents the beginning of a fascinating evolutionary history of pliosaurs, which were the rulers of the Mesozoic seas.