Scientists have described the heaviest animal in history

Paleontologists from the Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History (Germany) first described an ancient cetacean that lived in the oceans about 39 million years ago. Its mass could reach 340 tons, which is twice the average weight of a modern blue whale. Study this was published in the journal Nature.

The remains of a heavyweight were found back in 2010 in the Ica Valley, located in southern Peru. Now scientists have determined that they belong to Perucetus colossus from an extinct group of basilosaurids. Its estimated length was about 20 meters - more than a bowling alley.

Researchers can only guess how huge P. colossus. They have a limited amount of material at their disposal - most of the remains of the animal have decomposed. However, the preserved bones turned out to be very dense. The team believes that the whale's soft tissues likely compensated for this feature and were significantly lighter than the skeleton, which ultimately allowed it to swim.

Apparently, P. colossus had a very unusual appearance. The authors of the work compare it with a modern manatee, but with a tiny head, a huge body and short legs. Most likely, it was a slow "traveler" who spent most of his time at the bottom of the ocean.

The researchers conclude that P. colossus may be the heaviest animal in history, surpassing even dinosaurs in this parameter. In addition, his remains challenge the knowledge of scientists about the evolution of cetaceans. This discovery means they reached their peak body mass 30 million years earlier than originally thought.