AN INCREDIBLE nine million year old ancestor of the great white shark has been discovered in Peru.
The 23ft long beast had huge flesh-tearing teeth that ripped through its prey and could grow up to the size of small boat.
The fossil of the shark that roamed the seas millions of years ago was exceptionally well preserved, leaving experts stunned.
This shark is believed to have been an ancestor of the famed great white.
The fossil has shown that its teeth spanned up to an astonishing 8.9cm in length.
For comparison, the great white shark could grow teeth up to 2.9inches long.
It is believed that adults could grow to near 22.9ft in length, which is the size of a small boat.
The nearly-complete Cosmopolitodus Hastalis fossil was discovered on Monday, 146 miles south of Lima in Peru's Pisco basin.
Palaeontologist Mario Urbina said: "There are not many complete shark (fossils) in the world."
Mario also noted that sardines were likely the staple of the Cosmopolitodus Hastalis' diet.
This is because anchovies did not yet exist when the shark roamed the open seas and oceans.
The shark was also likely one of the major predators in its ecosystem.
Evidence from the fossil, including teeth marks on the bones of a Pliocene dolphin of the species Astadelphis gastaldii reveal that the Cosmopolitodus Hastalis attacked its prey from below and behind.
This is very similar to how the modern great white shark does it.
The deepest bite marks on the dolphin's ribs indicate the shark aimed for the abdomen of its prey, inflicting a fatal bite quickly.
When the dolphin was attacked a second time, it was bitten near the dorsal fin, suggesting that the dolphin rolled over while injured.
Peru is also famed for its other discoveries of marine life in recent years.
In November, Peruvian palaeontologists displayed a fossil of a young crocodile that lived more than 10 million years ago in the centre of the country.
When studying the fossil, there were some notable differences compared to how we see the animal today.
Palaeontologist Mario Gamarra said: "This is the first time we found a juvenile of this species, that is to say, it had not reached its maximum size yet. It died before that.
"They had an elongated snout and their diet was entirely piscivorous, feeding on fish.
"The closest current relative to this crocodile would be the Indian gharial."
The Indian gharial is known for its extremely long and narrow snout.
According to statement from the Peruvian governing body of national palaeontology, once fully grown, these crocodiles could reach lengths of up to 29.5ft.
In April last year, researchers displayed the fossilized skull of the largest river dolphin known to date.
This dolphin once inhabited the Amazon some 16 million years ago.
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