British paleontologists from the University of Bath announced the discovery of a new predatory marine dinosaur species that thrived in the Cretaceous oceans, between 145 million and 66 million years ago. Fossilized remains of this formidable creature were unearthed in Morocco, and the findings were published in the scientific journal Cretaceous Research.
The species was named Khinjaria acuta, a combination of the Arabic khinjar, meaning dagger, and the Latin acuta, meaning sharp. The name evokes a weapon’s precision and the creature’s cutting presence in ancient seas.
Researchers describe Khinjaria as a true oceanic monster. It reached roughly eight meters in length, a size comparable to that of a modern killer whale. Its vast jaws housed robust, book-like teeth designed for gripping and slicing through large prey, enabling it to hunt sizable sharks and other waterfowl that patrolled its realm.
Khinjaria belonged to the mosasaurid family, a lineage whose modern relatives include giant lizards typically associated with oceanic life. The anatomy of the skull and jaws revealed an exceptionally powerful bite, one that would have allowed the animal to overpower even large, armored prey and seize opportunities that other predators overlooked.
Scientists note that the Cretaceous oceans hosted a diverse assemblage of large predators, with some species surpassing the size of the great white shark. These apex marine hunters shaped ancient marine ecosystems and left a record of remarkable adaptation in their teeth, jaws, and swimming capabilities.
In historical context, earlier reports discussed the skeleton of a 250-million-year-old creature dubbed a “Chinese dragon,” highlighting how paleontological discoveries often illuminate the long and winding narrative of marine reptiles. The new Moroccan fossil adds a crucial chapter to our understanding of mosasaur diversity and evolution during the Cretaceous seas.