Unearthing Japan's Ancient 'Blue Dragon': A Prehistoric Terror of the Seas
Scientists in Japan have discovered a new species of mosasaur, called Megapterygius wakayamaensis, which lived over 72 million years ago. The nearly complete skeleton of this colossal marine lizard, nicknamed the Wakayama 'blue dragon', was found in Wakayama and is unlike any other mosasaur previously discovered. Its unique body morphology, including unusually long paddle-shaped flippers and possible dorsal fin, challenges our understanding of how mosasaurs swam and hunted. The study sheds light on the diversity and adaptations of these ancient ocean predators.