An artist’s impression of Perucetus colossus
Image courtesy of Alberto Gennari
Perucetus colossus lived 39 million years ago and weighed in at between 85
and 340 tonnes, meaning it was probably larger than even blue whales. The
discovery has inspired both fan art and music.
"In August, the
blue whale was cut down to size. Once known as the heaviest animal to have ever
existed, that title has now been claimed by a gargantuan species of
ancient whale discovered in Peru. The oversized beast, dubbed Perucetus
colossus, has delighted people around the world."
The story of P. colossus began in 2010, when Eli Amson at
the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart in Germany and his colleagues
unearthed the partial skeleton of an enormous whale in southern Peru.
Source:
Chen Ly. 2023. Perucetus colossus: An ancient whale
claimed the title of heaviest animal ever in 2023 | New Scientist
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