Scientists have found a fossil of a prehistoric animal 37 million years ago today, inside its stomach are the corpses of sea whales.

Fossil analysis shows that the ancient animal named Basilosaurus isis (B. isis), known as the king lizard, had incredible hunting abilities. They often reach up and grab their prey’s head.

B. isis is one of two species of Basilosaurus that have been found across North Africa, including in Egypt’s famous Valley of the Fossil Whales (Wadi Al Hitan) – where more than 100 individuals have been unearthed. The animal has provided researchers with a lot of information, from bite force estimates to body structure analysis… However, one thing that has puzzled paleontologists is its sword behavior. eaten by this animal. With its extremely large size (18 meters) and “toothy smile”, it can be an extremely dangerous predator.

The new study focuses on a fossil of B. isis found in 2010 in Wadi Al Hitan. The inside of this animal’s stomach included many specimens of Dorudon atrox – a small whale species – and also at least one large whale, Pycnodus mokattamensis. In addition, the team also found a shark tooth, but it is unclear whether the animal was eaten by Basilosaurus or lost the tooth while scavenging B. isis.

“Lions, tigers, and large bears are often considered apex predators on land,” the study states. Under the sea, this title belongs to killer whales and great white sharks. Their common characteristic is their large size and they mainly hunt smaller prey. However, the 18m-long Basilosaurus isis and its larger relative Basilosaurus cetoides were the largest predators of the late Eocene.”