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• Japan has unearthed 72 million years old Blue 'Dragon' that terrorized ancient seas.

Details

• In a recent discovery, the extinct and apex predator mosasaur, a huge marine reptile from the Late Cretaceous period, fossil specimen was discovered in Japan.
• Around 72 million years ago, this massive creature terrorized the Pacific waters.
• In 2006, the remains were unearthed beside the Aridagawa River in Wakayama Prefecture.
• According to a study published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, experts named the reptile after Japan's Wakayama Prefecture, meaning 'Blue Dragon.'

Features of Blue Dragon

• This underwater predator possessed distinct features that made easy categorization challenging.
• According to experts, the animal featured a crocodile-like head and large paddle-shaped flippers.
• Its back flippers were larger than its front flippers.
• This predator possessed nearly binocular vision, making it a deadly hunter.
• More than five feet long, this aquatic creature also featured a dorsal fin similar to the great white shark.
• The large front fins might have helped with rapid maneuvering, while its large rear fins might have provided pitch to dive or surface.
• The blue dragon's tail produced intense and rapid acceleration while hunting fish and was used for propulsion.

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