The partial skeleton of an ancient whale shows it could've weighed nearly as much as a Boeing 747, making it one of the heaviest animals ever

Wed, 08/02/2023 - 18:25

Reconstruction of Perucetus colossus in its coastal habitat, a manatee-like ancient whale with a tiny head and small limbs — Since its skull and limbs were missing, much about Perucetus colossus remains a mystery.
Alberto Gennari

A new species of ancient whale, Perucetus colossus, was a giant of the ocean.
It may have weighed twice as much as a blue whale because of its dense bones.
Researchers hypothesize that it was a slow swimmer that lived in coastal waters.

Roughly 39 million years ago, a slow-moving giant glided in shallow, coastal waters, potentially feeding on mollusks and crustaceans.

In 2010, paleontologist Mario Urbina found fossilized remains of this ancient animal, a new species of basilosaurid whale called Perucetus colossus.

The remains were unusual, gigantic bones in the Pisco Basin in southwestern Peru. The partial skeleton included 13 vertebrae, four ribs, and a hip bone.