Meet "Razana,?? ??? ??? ???" a gigantic lizard ancestor with the teeth of a T. rex and the body of a crocodile.
The prehistoric beast -- formally named Razanandrongobe sakalavae --was likely a top predator in Madagascar about 170 million years ago, when dinosaurs also roamed the planet, a team of Italian and French paleontologists said Tuesday.
SEE ALSO: 99-million-year-old bird fossil has been found preserved in amber and it's truly exquisiteRazana had a massive jaw bone lined with enormous jagged teeth, which were similar in size and shape to those of a Tyrannosaurus rex, the scientists wrote in a study published July 4 in the journal PeerJ. That suggests the teeth were sharp enough to slice through hard tissue such as bone and tendon.
Although the ancient lizard's body was long and lean like that of a modern crocodile, Razana was made even more beastly by its deep skull shape and powerful straight limbs, the fossils indicated.
Paleontologists said Razana appears to be by far the oldest and largest representative of a group of croc-like animals called Notosuchians. Little is known about the origin and early evolution of this group, and until now, these animals hadn't been known to exist during the Jurassic period.
"Like these and other gigantic crocs from the [more recent] Cretaceous, Razana could outcompete even theropod dinosaurs at the top of the food chain," Cristiano Dal Sasso, the study's lead author and a researcher at the Natural History Museum of Milan, said in a statement.
The Madagascar fossils are thought to predate other forms of the Notosuchia by 42 million years, according to the study.
The Razana seems to have roamed the area when Madagascar, which is now an island, was separating from the giant landmass of southern continents known as Gondwana, Simone Maganuco, a co-author of the study, said in a statement.
"It represents a further signal that the Notosuchia originated in southern Gondwana," he said.
How to watch 'The Greatest Hits': Release date, streaming dealsZola's wedding planner tool is AI you can say 'yes' toNYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 5Amazon deals of the day: Save on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, Hatch Restore 2, and moreNYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 8Wordle today: The answer and hints for April 7Alabama vs. UConn basketball livestreams: How to watch liveApple didn't want comedian Jon Stewart to interview FTC Chair on his podcastWordle today: The answer and hints for April 6'Mary and George' review: The horniest period drama of 2024 is also one of its best Women's Ashes 2025 livestream: How to watch Women's Ashes for free How to unblock Xnxx for free Best Cyber Monday robot vacuum deal still live: Roborock Qrevo Master under $900 at Amazon Best LG TV deal: Save over $400 on LG 55 Amazon Fire tablets on sale: Save up to 44% on top models Cyber Monday robot vacuum deals live: The best Roombas and Sharks still at record Best Cyber Monday 2024 fitness tracker deals: Garmin, Fitbit, Oura Best Echo Show 5 deal: Save $20 at Amazon NYT Strands hints, answers for January 13 JBL portable speaker sale: Get up to 50% off at Woot!
0.1498s , 9838.7109375 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【?? ??? ??? ???】A giant crocodile relative had terrifying teeth like a T. rex,Feature Flash