#cretaceous-period

#cretaceous-period

Scientists have identified the remains of a massive new species of dinosaur in Thailand, estimated to have weighed as much as nine adult elephants. Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis is the largest-known dinosaur from Southeast Asia, and a member of the dinosaur lineage called sauropods, known for having long necks and tails, small heads and four columnar legs, according to a report published on Thursday in the Scientific Reports journal.

The analysis grouped the krakens into two species: Nanaimoteuthis jeletzkyi and N. haggarti, and discovered that they belong to the same evolutionary group as modern dumbo octopuses.

An analysis of fossil jaws belonging to octopuses that lived between 100 million and 72 million years ago shows that these creatures may have been the largest animals in the sea and smart to boot, rivaling sharks and marine reptiles in their powers of predation.