Pictures at link.

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9993914/

 

 

Scientists find strange fossils in Patagonia

The fossil of the "Godzilla" croc with digitized flesh added.

National Geographic Society

By Robert Roy Britt

 

Updated: 2:55 p.m. ET Nov. 10, 2005

A newfound ancient sea creature looks to be part crocodile, part T. rex, and 100 percent terrifying.

 

The 13-foot long beast, Dakosaurus andiniensis, had a massive 18-inch-long jaw with interlocking 4-inch teeth. It is a long-lost relative of the crocodile yet it had fins.

 

A digital rendering of the creature reveals the sort of thing typically reserved for horror movies.

 

The sheer strangeness of the Dakosaurus andiniensis, found in South America and announced today, led its discoverers to call it Godzilla after the huge, amphibious, dinosaur-like movie icon.

 

"This species was very unusual, because other marine crocodiles that were around at the same time had very delicate features — long, skinny snouts and needle-like teeth for catching small fish and mollusks," said Ohio State University researcher Diego Pol, who determined the crocodile lineage. "But this croc was just the opposite. It had a short snout, and large teeth with serrated edges. It was definitely a predator of large sea creatures."

 

The fossils were found in Patagonia, in an area that was once a deep tropical bay attached to the Pacific Ocean, by paleontologists Zulma Gasparini and Luis Spalletti of the National University of La Plata in Argentina.

 

The finding is detailed in the Nov. 11 issue of the journal Science.

 

There were many types of crocodiles around 135 million years ago, when Dakosaurus andiniensis roamed the sea. None were as big, however. And none had such a short, stout snout or so few teeth.

 

"This is the most remarkable change in the size and shape of the teeth and snout in the history of marine crocs," Pol said.

 

Based on the size of its teeth, the beast dubbed Godzilla probably fed on other sea-going reptiles and big prey rather than fish, the researchers said.

Humans wouldn't have stood a chance millions of years ago.

Humans wouldn't have stood a chance millions of years ago.

Making it doubly good that the world is only about 10,000 years old.

 

That's for the 37% of the country that, according to SNL, "believe Adam and Eve rode dinosaurs to church."

1. That thing is pretty friggin' cool.

 

2. It looks NOTHING like Godzilla though, unless you are using that movie made in 1998 that used the name Godzilla, but was clearly NOT a Godzilla movie.

 

Who would expect me to come in here with these comments?

2. It looks NOTHING like Godzilla though, unless you are using that movie made in 1998 that used the name Godzilla, but was clearly NOT a Godzilla movie.

 

I was going to say the same thing, I watched all the Godzilla movies when I was young and that looks absolutely nothing like him. But still a cool discovery nonetheless. It still doesn't touch the Megalodon in my mind as the ancient creature that would have terrified me the most.

1. That thing is pretty friggin' cool.

 

2. It looks NOTHING like Godzilla though, unless you are using that movie made in 1998 that used the name Godzilla, but was clearly NOT a Godzilla movie.

 

Who would expect me to come in here with these comments?

I was surprised that you weren't the first response!

This is a cool find, and morphologically it's very diffferent than the other prehistoric croc. But only 13 feet?!? Some of the other fossil crocs could have taken this thing out in one bite.

I also think the "Godzilla" moniker is undeserved. It is a neat piece to the evolutionary jigsaw puzzle, but come on. Saltwater crocs get bigger than 13 feet. Godzilla, this thing is not.

I also think the "Godzilla" moniker is undeserved.  It is a neat piece to the evolutionary jigsaw puzzle, but come on.  Saltwater crocs get bigger than 13 feet.  Godzilla, this thing is not.

 

 

 

And they aren't saying it is.

 

 

The head does look like Godzilla, from movie pictures, to me.

And they aren't saying it is.

The head does look like Godzilla, from movie pictures, to me.

 

Looks like the US adapted monster movie called Godzilla, yes. Looks like the actual Godzilla, no way.

 

Of course, if Dakosaurus andiniensis had radioactive breath and huge glowing fins on its back, then I might change my mind.

Looks like the US adapted monster movie called Godzilla, yes.  Looks like the actual Godzilla, no way. 

 

Of course, if Dakosaurus andiniensis had radioactive breath and huge glowing fins on its back, then I might change my mind. 

Ahem!

 

Correct formatting on those scientific names, please.

Ahem!

 

Correct formatting on those scientific names, please.   

I apologize

This is a cool find, and morphologically it's very diffferent than the other prehistoric croc.  But only 13 feet?!?  Some of the other fossil crocs could have taken this thing out in one bite.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, when I saw the first popular press account of this, I stopped reading at “13 feet long.” This guy was just a little pischer, relatively speaking.

 

It must have been a slow news day, or these folks have good PR people on the job. The modern fossil-hunters are as competitive, I think, as those from the days of Roy Chapman Andrews. Still, I’m always happy when this type of story breaks through the usual dreck.

And they aren't saying it is.

The head does look like Godzilla, from movie pictures, to me.

 

Sorry, but I am a geek, and I have to do this.

 

It does not look like him:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK Kid.. you win.. gimme a few and I'll get that cookie for ya.

 

I had always wondered how that was Godzilla's son and who it was with. But then again I'm just weird.

OK Kid.. you win.. gimme a few and I'll get that cookie for ya. 

 

OOoo!!! I didn't know there were prizes involved!!! I rule!!!

Well, nowhere is there ever any proof that it is actually Godzilla's son. They named a movie that, sure, but there is much debate in the geek circles about that one. So, don't rack your brain over it for too long, as nobody really knows the answer, not even us uber-geeks.

 

Plus, nobody but the kids and chicks like Minya...so don't bother.

Edited November 11, 200520 yr by Kid Gleason

 

I had always wondered how that was Godzilla's son and who it was with. But then again I'm just weird.

 

After I watched the Godzilla/Godzooki movie, I stopped wondering about any sort of plausibility that could ever be connected to Godzilla. That thing blew smoke rings, for christ sake. Just a terrible excuse to make money off of the Godzilla name

After I watched the Godzilla/Godzooki movie, I stopped wondering about any sort of plausibility that could ever be connected to Godzilla.  That thing blew smoke rings, for christ sake.  Just a terrible excuse to make money off of the Godzilla name

 

Godzooki was in the saturday morning cartoon. The movies have Minya.

 

Wow, for a while, Goji looked a lot like Gary Coleman.

 

 

 

And Babyzilla looked like the baby in Dinosaurs, and also a little like the craptacular pink, fleshy Ripley-Alien hybrid from the 4th Alien flick.

 

 

 

Oh yeah, Minya also has Muriel Hemingway's eyebrows.

 

How ironic is this. One of my favorite blogs is daveslongbox.blogspot.com

 

Check out his blog entry today.

Heh, I have that issue. Hell...I have all of those issues...

Heh, I have that issue. Hell...I have all of those issues...

 

I read that blog every day. The guy is hilarious. you should go back to September and read his "Boob war" chronicles.