Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Claims that the Israeli occupation has withdrawn from areas in the neighborhoods of al-Zaytoun, al-Tuffah, and al-Shujaiya are false
Hamas: The two delegations stressed that any negotiations must lead to the achievement of our people's goals and aspirations, foremost among which is ending the war and the complete withdrawal of enemy forces
Hamas: A delegation from the Hamas leadership, led by the head of the leadership council, Mohammad Darwish, met with an Islamic Jihad delegation, headed by its Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah

Ancient marine reptile tooth discovered in Swiss Alps

  • By Al Mayadeen net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 28 Apr 2022 09:35
3 Min Read

The fossils of 3 giant marine reptiles have been found in the Swiss Alps.

  • x
  • Illustration of an enormous ichthyosaur hunting in the Triassic seas (Dr. Heinz Furrer)
    Illustration of an enormous ichthyosaur hunting in the Triassic seas (Dr. Heinz Furrer)

The bones of three ichthyosaurs – huge marine reptiles that roamed primordial waters – were unearthed high in the Swiss Alps, including the biggest ever tooth known for the species, according to research published Thursday.

The specimens were discovered during geological investigations between 1976 and 1990 but were just recently thoroughly investigated.

The prehistoric leviathans weighed up to 88 tons and grew to 20 meters long, which makes them the largest animals to have ever existed.

They originally originated in the early Triassic period 250 million years ago, and a smaller, dolphin-like variety lived until 90 million years ago. However, the vast majority of the species, the ichthyosaurs, went extinct 200 million years ago.

According to Martin Sander of the University of Bonn, the paper's lead author in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, unlike dinosaurs, ichthyosaurs left behind no fossil remains, which he describes as "a great mystery."

They were discovered at a height of 2,800 meters. The three swam in the waters around the supercontinent Pangea throughout their lives, but the fossils kept rising owing to plate tectonics and the folding of the Alps.

Related News

Switzerland reopens Tehran embassy

Switzerland shuts Geneva branch of controversial GHF Gaza group

Previously, it was considered that ichthyosaurs exclusively lived in the deep ocean, but the rocks from which the new fossils were discovered are thought to have been at the bottom of a shallow coastal region. Some of the giants may have followed schools of fish there.

There are two distinct groups of skeletal remains. One consists of 10 rib pieces and a vertebra, implying a 20-meter-long animal, about comparable to the biggest ichthyosaur yet discovered in Canada.

According to the seven vertebrae discovered, the second animal measured 15 meters.

Sander divulged that the tooth, "is particularly exciting," due to it being "huge by ichthyosaur standards: Its root was 60 millimeters (2.4 inches) in diameter - the largest specimen still in a complete skull to date was 20 millimeters and came from an ichthyosaur that was nearly 18 meters long."

  • The ichthyosaur tooth is 4 inches long (100 mm) and missing part of its crown.
    The ichthyosaur tooth is 4 inches long (100 mm) and missing part of its crown.

While this may imply a monster of epic proportions, it's more likely to have originated from an ichthyosaur with exceptionally massive teeth than a very enormous ichthyosaur.

According to current studies, severe gigantism is incompatible with a predatory lifestyle that necessitates the use of teeth.

Sanders said that as a result, "Marine predators therefore probably can't get much bigger than a sperm whale," adding that more fossils would need to be found to be absolutely sure.

  • Switzerland
  • swiss alps
  • fossils

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemeni air defenses repel substantial part of Israeli aggression

Yemeni air defenses confront Israeli aggression on Hodeidah

  • Politics
  • 7 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS