By Tim Binnall
Researchers in Peru have unearthed the remains of an enormous ancient sea creature that may have been the heaviest animal to ever exist with a staggering suggested weight of 375 tons. Fossils from the prehistoric cetacean were first found thirteen years ago in the Desert of Ica and, following extensive excavation and analysis, the newly classified species was reportedly detailed this week in a scientific paper published in the journal Nature. In recognition of its country of origin and its jaw-dropping size, the creature has been named Perucetus colossus, which translates to 'colossal whale from Peru.'
While scientists do not have a complete skeleton of the creature, they were able to extrapolate its size by way of the fossilized remains that were recovered, specifically four ribs, thirteen vertebrate, and a hip bone. Noting that these specimens were particularly dense, they theorize that the animal's skeleton alone weighed around 5 to 9 tons and, in turn, its total body could have been an astounding 375 tons. Based on the ancient material surrounding the bones, the scientists determined that the creature likely inhabited the waters of the planet around 39 million years ago, the monstrous predecessor to modern whales boasted a particularly thick skeleton
The proposed weight of Perucetus positively dwarfs that of the current record holder for heaviest animal to exist, the blue whale, which is believed to top out at around 200 tons. Thought to have resembled a manatee, it has been suggested that the creature survived by feasting on plants and dead animals found on the ocean floor. However, not everyone is convinced of the study's findings as other experts have expressed skepticism that there would be enough food to sustain a sea-dweller of such size and argue that the incomplete skeleton of the Perucetus makes estimating its weight highly speculative.