The discovery of aquatic vertebrate in Peru

The Perucetus colossus
On August 2, 2023, the world learned of the discovery in Peru of the remains of the largest and heaviest massive animal that has ever existed on Earth.
Peruvian palaeontologist Mario Urbina, from the Natural History Museum of Lima, part of the National University of San Marcos, first found a fossilised vertebra in the desert of the Ica region in 2010. The specific location was district of Ocucaje, 15km from the Peruvian coast and 300km south of the capital, Lima.
Scientific studies were conducted at the museum to determine the anatomy of the species found, which was classified as an ancient cetacean and named Perucetus colossus (the colossal whale from Peru).
A recent publication in the scientific journal Nature, entitled ‘A heavyweight early whale pushes the boundaries of vertebrate morphology’ explains that although the skeleton of Perucetus colossus is incomplete, it was possible to conclude that the mass of its bone structure exceeds any other known mammal or aquatic vertebrate.
Dr Rebecca Bennion of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels said each vertebra weighed 100kg which is impressive. Its bone mass weighed between 5.3 and 7.6 tonnes.
The calculations of its size and weight indicate that Perucetus colossus may be the heaviest animal in history that has been found as total weight of its bones is 5-8 tonnes — twice as much as the current blue whale weighs.
The species lived 39mn years ago in a tropical climate sea, during the geological time of Eocene (56 and 34mn).

Vertebrae of the Perucetus colossus
This ancient cetacean weighed between 85 and 340 tonnes and was approximately, 20 metres long. Only 13 vertebrae and some ribs and parts of the pelvis have been found.
The discoverer palaeontologist Urbina specified that this finding has no precedents for other discoveries worldwide and that it is not yet known what it fed on or how it lived.
However, he added that the geography of the place of its habitat presents mountains near the marine coast that prevented the formation of large waves; and, on the contrary, they formed calm waters, propitious for the reproduction of ancient living beings.
There is the possibility that its diet consisted of crustaceans, mollusks, and fish.
However, it is not ruled out that it was herbivorous.
According to a member of the Italian research team, Giovanni Bianucci, “the Peruvian specimen is the most notable of all basilosaurids (extinct family of cetaceans) discovered”.
Moreover, the desert of the region of Ica desert has become an important source of fossil discoveries, which would be the ancestors of modern whales.
This enormous animal has become an attraction as it is displayed at the Natural History Museum of Lima, where you can admire this unique oldest giant aquatic vertebrate.
This finding poses a great challenge for all researchers dedicated with passion to unveil the past of our planet, and who, every once in a while show us surprising discoveries.