A species of giant turtle, which was hitherto unknown and which, according to scientists, “would be the size of a great white shark,” lived in the Earth’s oceans 80 million years ago. It would be one of the largest turtles that ever lived, measuring more than 3.5 meters in length and nearly two tons in weight.
This new species was discovered after traces of this animal were discovered south of the Pyrenees in Spain. Investigators found the fragmented but complete animal pelvis and parts of the giant reptile’s carapace.
According to scientists, this fossil dates back to the Campanian period, between 83.6 and 72.1 million years ago. The name Leviathanochelys aenigmatica has been given to the new species of giant tortoise discovered.
It is the largest sea turtle ever discovered in Europe, and according to Angel Lujan, of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, one of the scientists responsible for the discovery, “It is one of the largest turtles ever discovered in the whole world,” second only to the Archelon species, which lived in the North American continent.
“The large body size was the result of an evolution in response to the specific conditions of the seas of the European archipelago in the Cretaceous period,” the scientist progresses.
Discover this massive and strange new Leviathanochelys [bizarra por apresentar uma protuberância na pélvis não verificada habitualmente nas tartarugas]from the marine sediments of the Middle Campanian found south of the Pyrenees, which rival Arquelon in size, give new knowledge about the diversity of sea turtles and how the phenomenon of gigantism occurred in these groups also in Europe “, considers the Spanish official.
“This investigation indicates that gigantism in sea turtles evolved independently in different lineages, in North America and Europe,” the researcher highlights.
The discovery of Leviathanochelys aenigmatica is published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports.
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