Daily Dino Fact!

Anyone want to go for a swim??

Hey gang, Daily Dino Fact coming at ya! The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology recently produced a report concluding that three Metriorhynchids that existed from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous were actually large, active hunters called hypercarnivores. To be classified as a hypercarnivores these Metriorhynchids (specifically Dakosaurus, Geosaurus and Torvoneustes) has to have a diet consisting of at least 70% meat. That’s a lot of meat!

The biggest of these sea dwelling meat-eaters, Dakosaurus, may have even been a better hunter than the T-Rex himself. The reason scientists think that the Dakosaurus was such an effective hunter is this ancient, finned, crocodile’s secret weapon, the death roll. These guys would take a big bite out of a large marine reptile, fish or cephalopod and repeatedly roll around in the water, inflicting more damage with each spin. Luckily for us, these terrifying Metriorhynchids are no longer patrolling the earth’s oceans… so it’s safe to go for a swim!

-Mio

-Bluggindino