10 prehistoric sea monsters

Some of the largest creatures that ever inhabited this world, lived millions of years ago. Below are the ten biggest, the most terrible monsters of the sea that once scoured the oceans:

10. Shastazavr (Shastasaurus)

Ichthyosaurs were marine predators that look like modern dolphins, and could reach huge sizes, they lived in the Triassic period about 200 million years ago.

Shastazavr, the largest species of marine reptiles ever found, was the ichthyosaurs, which could grow to over 20 meters. It was much longer than most other predators. But it is one of the largest creatures ever to swim in the sea, it was not quite scary predator; Shastazavr fed by suction, and eat mainly fish.

9. dakosaurus (Dakosaurus)

Dakosaurus it was first discovered in Germany, and having strange reptilian and at the same time ichthyoids body, he was one of the top predators in the sea during the Jurassic period.

Its fossils were found in a very wide area - they are everywhere, from England to Russia, and to Argentina. Although it is usually compared with modern crocodiles, dakosaurus could reach 5 meters in length. Its unique teeth led scientists to believe that he was a top predator during his terrible reign.

8 thalassomedon (Thalassomedon)

Thalassomedon pliosaur treated group, and its name translates from Greek as "Sea Lord" - and for good reason. Thalassomedon were huge carnivores, reaching up to 12metrov long. It has been almost 2 meter long flippers, which allowed him to swim in the depths with deadly efficiency. His reign as the predator was not until the late Cretaceous period, until, finally, do not come to an end when the sea there are new larger predators such as Mosasaurs.

7. nothosaurus (Nothosaurus)

Nothosaurus, reaches a length of only 4 meters were aggressive predators. They were armed with a mouth full of sharp, outwardly directed teeth, which indicates that their diet consisted of fish and squid. It is believed that nothosaurus, were mostly predators ambush. They used their smooth reptilian physique to sneak up to the production and catch her by surprise in the attack.

It is believed that nothosaurus were relatives pliosaurs, another species of deep-sea predators. Data obtained from fossils suggests that they lived in the Triassic period about 200 million years ago.

6. tylosaurus (Tylosaurus)

Tylosaurus treated mozazavry mind. He was a great size, and has reached more than 15 meters in length.

Tylosaurus was a meat-eater with a very diverse diet. Their stomachs were found traces of fish, sharks, smaller mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, and even some flightless birds. They lived in the late Cretaceous period, the sea, which covered the territory of present-day North America, where they are firmly positioned at the top of the marine food chain for several million years.

5. Talattoarhon (Thalattoarchon Saurophagis)

Only recently discovered, Talattoarhon was the size of a school bus, reaching almost 9 meters in length. This is an early view of ichthyosaur that lived during the Triassic period, 244 million years ago. Due to the fact that they appeared soon after the Permian extinction (the largest mass extinction in the world, while the scientists believe, 95% of marine flora and fauna have been destroyed), its discovery gives scientists a new way to look at the rapid recovery of the ecosystem.

4. tanystropheus (Tanystropheus)

Although tanystropheus was not strictly marine life, his diet consisted mainly of fish, and scientists believe that most of his time he spent in the water. Tanystropheus was a reptile that can reach 6 meters in length, and are believed he lived in the Triassic period about 215 million years ago.

3. liopleurodon (Liopleurodon)

Liopleurodon were marine reptiles and reached more than 6 meters in length. He mainly lived in the seas that covered Europe during the Jurassic period, and was one of the top predators of their time. Some of his jaw, is believed to have reached more than 3 meters - it is approximately equal to the distance from floor to ceiling.

With such huge teeth, it is not difficult to understand why liopleurodon dominated in the food chain.

2. mozazavry (Mosasaurus)

If liopleurodon was huge, it was a colossal mozazavry.

Data obtained from fossils suggests that mozazavry could reach up to 15 meters in length, making it one of the largest marine predators of the Cretaceous period. Mozazavry head was like a crocodile's head, she was armed with hundreds of razor-sharp teeth that could kill even the most well-protected opponents.

1. Megalodon (Megalodon)

One of the largest predators in the marine history and one of the largest sharks ever recorded, Megalodon was incredibly scary creatures.

Megalodon scour the depths of the oceans during the Cenozoic era, 28 - 1, 5 million years ago, and had a much larger version of a great white shark, the most feared and powerful predators in the oceans today. But while the maximum length that the modern great white shark can reach is 6 meters, the Megalodon could grow up to 20 meters in length, which means that they were more than a school bus!