Predator X (TV program)
Predator X is a 2009 television special on the cable television channel History. The show documents the excavation of a giant pliosaur on an island in the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago.[1] The special follows Dr. Jørn Hurum and a team of paleontologists from the University of Oslo as they excavate the site.
The specimen — claimed by Hurum to be a new species[2] — has not yet received a taxonomic classification and is, therefore, currently codenamed "Predator X". The team initially called their discovery "The Monster", and the nickname has been used extensively by the media.[3][4][5]
The initial discovery was made in 2006, as part of a find of dozens of pliosaur and plesiosaur specimens. At nearly 15 m (49 ft) in length, "The Monster" is the largest pliosaur skeleton ever discovered, considerably larger than Kronosaurus.[6][7]
References
- ^ "Monsterdiggers 2008". University of Oslo. http://www.nhm.uio.no/pliosaurus/english/index.html.
- ^ "Fossil sea monster biggest of its kind". ABC News. February 2, 2008. http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2008/02/28/2175686.htm.
- ^ Deshayes, Pierre-Henry (October 11, 2006). "'The Monster' helps piece together puzzle". The Standard. http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=9&art_id=29109&sid=10311750&con_type=1&d_str=20061011&fc=4.
- ^ "‘Monster’ found in Jurassic graveyard". MSNBC. October 5, 2006. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15139760/.
- ^ "Fossil sea monster big enough to "bite a car"". February 28, 2008. http://www.cctv.com/program/cultureexpress/20080228/106677.shtml.
- ^ "Enormous Jurassic Sea Predator, Pliosaur, Discovered In Norway". Science Daily. February 9, 2008. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080229101002.htm.
- ^ "Fossil 'makes T-Rex look feeble'", news24.com, 17 March 2009.
External links