A fossil of the skull of a pliosaur has been found on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, UK. The creature, which lived around 75 million years ago, was one of the largest predators to have ever lived, measuring over 12 metres in length and boasting 130 teeth.
The fossil was discovered by an amateur enthusiast on the beach near Kimmeridge Bay. The excavation was led by Steve Etches, who described the fossil as one of the best he had ever worked on. The pliosaur’s skull was found to be complete, with every bone present.
The rest of the creature has not yet been found, although the team believes the rest of the skeleton is still embedded in the cliffs. The pliosaur’s bite has been analysed with the assistance of a surface scan, with researchers concluding that the creature’s bite had a force similar to that of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The fossil is to be put on display in Dorset next year.
