Massive Fossil Tooth Belonged to Ancient, Crocodile-like Marine Predator

Paleontologists have uncovered a massive tooth of a fearsome marine predator. Now, researchers have determined that it's the largest of its kind in the UK, after its recent discovery.

The tooth itself was discovered near Chesil Beach in Dorset. The tooth, which possesses a broken tip, is about 5.5 cm long and probably belonged to a prehistoric relative of modern crocodiles, called Dakosaurus maximus.

This massive creature once swam in the shallow seas the covered Europe about 152 million years ago. It grew up to about 4.5 meters long, and belonged to a family of marine animals known as thalattosuchians, which are relatives of today's crocodiles. By examining the unusual shape of the animals' skull and teeth, scientists can infer that it once ate similar prey to modern-day killer whales. It would have likely used its broad, short jaws to swallow fish whole and would have used its sharp teeth to bite out chunks from larger prey.

"Given its size, Dakosaurus had very large teeth," said Mark Young, one of the researchers, in a news release. "However, it wasn't the top marine predator of its time, and would have swum alongside other larger marine reptiles, making the shallow seas of the Late Jurassic period exceptionally dangerous."

The latest fossil was discovered after it was dredged from the seafloor. It was then bought at an online auction by a fossil collector. Researchers and curators from University of Edinburgh and the Natural History Museum then identified the item and placed it in the fossil collection of the Natural History Museum.

The findings reveal a bit more about this ancient creature. The tooth shows how large that these animals could grow. Hopefully, future findings will help fill in more gaps about this animal's history and about how it once behaved during a time when the Earth was warmer and when seas dominated the landscape.

The findings are published in the journal Historical Biology.