Recently, a new investigation by Living Science showed some horrific details on the bone fish, Dunkleosteus, that lived in the Devonian period 419 million to 358 millions years ago. Although it’s not as big as as it was believed to be, it’s incredibly hefty, and terrifying to most. Fossils of this creature have frequently been found in Cleveland, Ohio, which earned them the nickname “Cleveland Shale”.

The first fossils of the million year old fish were found 150 years ago along the lake Erie. The “dunk” was estimated to be 30 feet long, and 9 meters wide, but just by examining the skull, Botanist, George Engelmann, could easily tell the fish was a lot smaller than approximated, being no larger than 13 feet long, and 4 meters wide. While being smaller then estimated, it is no less terrifying!

The Dunkleosteus was said to be tyrannosaurus of the seas, as is was ferocious. Weighing up to 8,000 pounds, and having a bite with 1,000 pounds of force, this creature could easily finish a shark in two bites. The Dunk could open its mouth in a fifteenth of a second, sucking in any nearby prey. Not surprisingly, the Dunkleosteus  was at the top of it’s food chain, only fearing others of its kind, as they occasionally resorted to cannibalism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4MH6DPURFc

RELATED STORIES

• FOSSILGUY.COM
• GRUNGE.COM
• .EARTHTOUCHNEWS.COM
• http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/d/dunkleosteus.html
• https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/vertebrate-origins/dunkleosteus

Exploration HQ Highlight: Dunkleosteus Jaw

TAKE ACTION

• fish stocking