A newfound ancient sea creature looks to be part crocodile, part T. rex, and 100 percent terrifying.<\/p>\n
The 13-foot long beast, Dakosaurus andiniensis, had a massive 18-inch-long jaw with interlocking 4-inch teeth. It is a long-lost relative of the crocodile yet it had fins.<\/p>\n
A digital rendering of the creature reveals the sort of thing typically reserved for horror movies.<\/p>\n
The sheer strangness of the Dakosaurus andiniensis, found in South America and announced today, led its discoverers to call it Godzilla after the huge, amphibious, dinosaur-like movie icon.<\/p>\n
“This species was very unusual, because other marine crocodiles that were around at the same time had very delicate features long, skinny snouts and needle-like teeth for catching small fish and mollusks,” said Ohio State University researcher Diego Pol, who determined the crocodile lineage. “But this croc was just the opposite. It had a short snout, and large teeth with serrated edges. It was definitely a predator of large sea creatures.”<\/p>\n
The fossils were found in Patagonia, in an area that was once a deep tropical bay attached to the Pacific Ocean, by paleontologists Zulma Gasparini and Luis Spalletti of the National University of La Plata in Argentina.<\/p>\n
The finding is detailed in the Nov. 11 issue of the journal Science.<\/p>\n
![\"Fossilized](\"http:\/\/www.darrenstraight.com\/blog\/images\/2005\/11\/godzilla.jpg\")
\nDiego Pol \/ Ohio State University
\nThe fossilized skull of Dakosaurus andiniensis measures approximately 2.5 feet long.
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There were many types of crocodiles around 135 million years ago, when Dakosaurus andiniensis roamed the sea. None were as big, however. And none had such a short, stout snout or so few teeth.<\/p>\n
“This is the most remarkable change in the size and shape of the teeth and snout in the history of marine crocs,” Pol said.<\/p>\n
Based on the size of its teeth, the beast dubbed Godzilla probably fed on other sea-going reptiles and big prey rather than fish, the researchers said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
![\"Giant](\"http:\/\/www.darrenstraight.com\/blog\/images\/2005\/11\/crocillo.jpg\")
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