The modern day oceans are full of terrifying creatures like great white sharks, giant squids, salt water crocodiles, barracudas etc. However they are nothing compared to those creatures who roamed the ancient oceans. They had no problems tearing apart anything what got in their way. We're actually very thankful that, they are now extinct. These creatures can give you nightmares for weeks. We might have seen them in various Hollywood Movies.
Here is the list of TOP 10 TERRIFYING SEA CREATURES OF PREHISTORIC AGE:
10. Liopleurodon
Image Source: Wikipedia
Liopleurodon was a large, carnivorous marine reptile. It lived during the Middle Jurassic period. Liopleurodon was an apex predator of Middle to Late Jurassic oceans that covered the entire Europe Continent. This creature could grow up to 7 m and weighed around 1500-1700 kg. It had a long jaw which was 1/5th of its whole body and it was full of sharp pointed teeth. Liopleurodon had four paddle-like limbs and a strong tail, these suggest that it was a powerful swimmer. This kind of body structure also helped it to make fast burst attack in short range, like modern day crocodiles.
Fossils are found in Germany, England and France.
9. Basilosaurus
Image Source: Steam Community
Basilosaurus was once mistaken as a reptile (that's why it is known as "King Lizard") but it is an extinct long-relative of modern day whales. It existed during the Late Eocene around 40-35 million years ago. Basilosaurus had a massive length of 15-18 meters and weight of nearly 7 tons. This prehistoric whale had a elongated body that made it a great predator. It had a strong jaw full of big conical teeth, that probably used for preying smaller whales, sharks and fishes.
Fossils are found in Egypt and Jordan.
8. Sarcosuchus
Image Source: Wikipedia
Fossils are found in Sahara desert.
7. Helicoprion
Image Source: Curiosity
Helicoprion is an extinct shark that lived during the Early Miocene to the Late Pliocene approx. 290-250 million years ago. Helicoprion are believed to have been 25-35 feet long and weighed around 400-450 kg. It roamed the ancient oceans all over the world. It had a coil of triangular teeth which was curled into a coil and it was attached to its lower jaw. The most interesting fact about Helicoprion is it survived the P-T extinction event that erased 90% of all marine lifeforms and 70% of all land lifeforms. After some millions years later, this shark went extinct. Helicoprion may have lived of a diet of large fishes, squids and other aquatic reptiles.
First fossil was found in Russia in 1889.
6. Mosasaurus
Image Source: Wikia
Mosasaurus is a extinct carnivorous aquatic lizard. It existed between 70-66 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. The largest species of mosasaurus species could grow up to 55 feet in length and weighed around 5000-5500 kg. Massive pointed teeth covered its jaw. The body with paddle like limbs and a strong tail provided strong propulsion. According to the scientists, mosasaurus lived near the ocean surface where it dined with fish, turtles, smaller mosasaurus, birds etc.
Fossils are found on every continent even Antarctica.
5. Thalattoarchon
Image Source: National Geographic
Thalattoarchon is an extinct genus of ichthyosaur that lived during the Middle Triassic. The species Thalattoarchon saurophagis is estimated to have at least 28 feet length. Big size, a jaw full of sharp double edged teeth and killer mentality made this creature unstoppable and a apex predator. Scientists thought that Thalattoarchon was one of the macro-predator, capable of eating preys of its own size.
Thalattoarchon fossils are found in western part of United States.
4. Jaekelopterus
Image Source: Twitter
Jaekelopterus is the only arthopod in our list. Jaekelopterus is an extinct aquatic arthropod. We can call it a long-relative of sea-scorpions. It lived approx. 390 million years ago during the Late Devonian Period. The largest fossil of Jaekelopterus has a size of 8.2 feet which is the largest known arthropod fossil ever discovered. It had 18 inch long claws. It might have represented an apex predator on that ecosystem. It lived in Euramerica or Laurussia, a minor super continent.
3. Dunkleosteus
Image Source: earthtouchnews.com
Dunkleosteus is an extinct placoderm fish which existed during the Late Devonian period around 382-358 million years ago. The largest species could grow up to 20 feet and weighed around 1000 kg. Jaw of Dunkleosteus was made up of plates, having beak-like mechanism. Like modern day suction feeders, Dunkleosteus could open and close its jaw very quickly. It had a bite force of 1600 psi (Pound-force per square inch) where a normal human's bite force is 150-200 psi. Dunkleosteus' main diet were ammonites, smaller placoderms etc.
Fossils are found in United States.
2. Megalodon
Image Source: Phatfossils
Megalodon is earth's largest known shark. Megalodon is now extinct. It lived during the Early Miocene to the end of the Pliocene approx. 23-2.6 million years ago. this prehistoric shark, Megalodon measured upto 60 feet and 30 tons. Megalodon was a top of the food chain predator. It had a jaw full of 276 serrated teeth, each 7 inches long, perfect for tearing the prey apart. Megalodon might have lived a diet of big marine mammals (whales and dolphins) and smaller megalodons.
Fossil remains of Megalodon can be found in all continents except Antarctica.
Fossil remains of Megalodon can be found in all continents except Antarctica.
1. Livyatan melvillei
Livyatan is an extinct relative of modern day sperm whales. It lived approx. 10-9 million years ago during the Miocene epoch. Its total length is believed to be 50-60 feet and weight around 50 tons. The biggest tooth measured 14.3 inches long and it is the biggest tooth of any known carnivorous animal. This creature never dined with plankton like other whales. It was an apex predator. Its main diet consisting of smaller whales, dolphins, sharks, seals and other marine vertebrates.
It was discovered in 2008 when fossils of Livyatan were collected from the coastal desert of Peru.
It was discovered in 2008 when fossils of Livyatan were collected from the coastal desert of Peru.
