2023-08-02 18:46:06
A fossil found on the coast of Peru has just revealed the existence of what could be the largest animal ever to exist on Earth (at least, according to what has been discovered so far). According to argues a international team of paleontologists In an article published this week in the journal ‘Nature’, the remains correspond to a giant whale species that sailed the seas about 38 million years ago, measured more than 20 meters and? could have weighed between 80 and 340 tons. The animal, named ‘Perucetus colossus’, could have been almost twice as heavy as current blue whales, currently considered the heaviest living animal in the world.
The first remains of this prehistoric animal were dusted off at the beginning of 2012. But it has not been until now that, after exhaustive analysis, it has been possible to reconstruct its history in all its splendor. Total 13 vertebrae, four ribs and a pelvis fragment have been recovered of the animal. Experts believe that this particular specimen could have weighed around 180 tons, although it is likely that its species could have been between 85 and 340 tons in total. And although it is difficult to determine for sure if it was or was not the heaviest animal in history, experts suggest that could, at least, be a worthy candidate to break this record.
Coast zones
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The paleontologists who have led their study believe that this gigantic whale lived in coastal areas shallow waters off the Peruvian coast and, unlike their contemporary congeners, he didn’t used to dive into abysmal zones. This peculiarity is even more surprising since during the Eocene, when this animal lived, most of the food resources were found in abysmal areas. So this giant probably couldn’t enjoy the loot from the deep and had to make do with sea grasses, mollusks, and other marine animals that swarmed the shoreline.
Another interesting fact about this animal has to do with its bones. As explained by experts from the Cayetano Heredia University in Lima and the National University of San Marco, a large part of the fossil remains found of this animal they were so big and dense that they almost looked swollen. In this sense, it is likely that the bone structure of this animal resembled that of modern manatees. And it seems that it was precisely these heavy bones that helped the whale to stay glued to the seabed during its swings through the ocean.
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