The beast discovered – a cross between a shark and an eel
Researchers have discovered an ancient sea creature that combines traits of a Great White shark and a giant Amazonian catfish. Dubbed Dunkleosteus terrelli, this underwater beast lived during the Devonian period approximately 415 million to 360 million years ago. According to new research, this creature had the most powerful bite of any fish that ever lived, with jaw power of over 1,100 pounds of force per bite. Researchers compared the extinct sea creature to modern-day man-eating sharks that can swallow people whole.
Lead author Russell Engelman, a Ph.D. student at Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, stated that Dunkleosteus has often been thought to function like a Great White shark. However, as scientists learn more about this fish, it may be more accurate to describe it as a combination of different species, including a mix of shark, grouper, viperfish, tuna, and piraiba – a type of giant predatory Amazonian catfish.
Dunkleosteus belonged to an early group of aquatic animals known as placoderms that were covered in articulated armored plates. These creatures had much larger mouths than sharks, but the length of Dunkleosteus remains disputed. Although some experts suggest that the creature was five to 10 meters in length, Engelman believes that the methods for estimating length have not been statistically tested to produce reliable results.
Some scientists speculate that Dunkleosteus may have had a shorter body more similar to sharks. As apex predators, calculating the creature’s body length is important to understand their life habits and the ecology of the Devonian period in general. Despite placoderms often being reconstructed based on comparisons with sharks, they may have behaved differently than previously thought. Engelman stated that mouth size is probably the most critical factor in determining the largest prey a fish can eat, and the results suggest that placoderms were capable of hitting far above their weight class.
In conclusion, the discovery of Dunkleosteus terrelli provides new insight into the evolution of aquatic animals and their predatory behavior. The unique combination of features found in this ancient sea creature has shed light on how it may have lived and hunted during the Devonian period, and further research may reveal even more fascinating details about this prehistoric predator.
