Discovery of ancient marine reptile reveals oldest mega-predator

Researchers have discovered the existence of ancient marine predators called pliosaurs, which lived 170 million years ago. These creatures, closely related to plesiosaurs, were identified as the oldest known mega-predators of their time. The discovery of a specimen named Lorrainosaurus has shed light on the evolutionary journey of these creatures and revealed that pliosaurs became mega-predators due to a shift in the marine predator ecosystems around 175 to 171 million years ago. This finding enhances our understanding of marine reptiles from the Age of Dinosaurs.