October 2, 2003

Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go Back in the Jurassic

"Biggest Fish Ever Found" Unearthed in U.K.

"It's by far the biggest and most complete Leedsichthys problematicus ever found, which makes it the biggest fish ever found," said Mike Barker, head of paleobiology at Portsmouth University.

Equipped with massive, teeth-lined gills, experts say the creature was probably one the first giant planktivores. A Jurassic version of the baleen whale or basking shark, it would have filtered out huge quantities of tiny shrimp and other marine organisms while cruising over what is now central England.

The Peterborough specimen's estimated length is 22 meters (72 feet) - - almost twice as long as a whale shark, the largest fish swimming today. Those working on the fossil reckon the species may have reached sizes to rival the blue whale.

Posted by Van der Leun at October 2, 2003 11:40 AM | TrackBack
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