Around five million years ago , the river of North America were home to an enormous salmon that would make today ’s largest specimens count like minnows . It may have grown up to 8.9 foot ( 2.7 cadence ) long and was think to have incredibly foresighted fangs like a saber - toothed tiger . However , novel research has found that this was not the case . Rather than a cavalry sword - toothed Salmon River , the fish really had capitulum - like tusks similar to warthogs today .
The monstrosity Salmon River , Oncorhynchus rastrosus , was first described in the 1970s and is think to be the largest member of the Salmonidae family to have ever lived . At the time of its discovery , researchers assume that it had two oversized front dentition that aim backward into its sassing like fang . This was mostly because the fossil shard they were work with were damaged – the teeth were found separate from the skulls . They therefore based their thinking on currentsalmonanatomy and other animals of that era .
As such , O. rastrosushas traditionally been known as the “ sabre - toothed Salmon River ” , but this was a flushed herring .
The giant prehistoric salmon was always thought to have large fangs in its mouth, but new research shows they were actually outward-facing spikes.Image credit: Ray Troll,CC-BY 4.0.
have examined fogy recuperate in 2014 , researchers have now determined thatO. rastrosustoothy protrusions really faced outwards , like tusk . So the saber - toothed Salmon River is no more . All hail the “ spike - jaggy Salmon River . ”
“ I ’m delighted that we have been able-bodied to put a new expression on the giant spike - tooth salmon , bringing knowledge from the field in Oregon to the world , ” Edward Davis , companion professor of world sciences at the University of Oregon and director of Condon Collection at the UO ’s Museum of Natural and Cultural History explained in astatement .
Despite this Apocalypse intoothorientation , it is still unreadable what these ivory were in reality used for . The researchers believe they were most belike used for fight , either to duel other spike heel - toothed salmon or to defend against predators . This would have been particularly useful for the Pisces as they swim upriver to breed – then as now , this journey would have been touch-and-go for many .
It is also potential that the tusks had multiple purposes , they may have also been used to dig nests and to defend them from other Salmon River looking to cabbage in themselves .
However , the team doubt the teeth were used for hunt prey . This is becauseO. rastrosusis suppose to have been a filter feeder that fed on plankton . So a giant Pisces the Fishes using tusks to eat tiny organisms drifting in piddle would be like purpose using a wrecking ball to make a salad .
“ We have known for 10 that these extinct salmon from Central Oregon were the largest to ever survive , ” Kerin Claeson , professor of shape at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine added .
“ discovery like ours show they believably were n’t gentle behemoth . These monolithic spike at the tip of their snouts would have been useful to defend against marauder , contend against other Salmon River , and at long last build up the nest where they would hatch their eggs . "
Interestingly , it seems these ivory - teeth were present on both manful and female Salmon River , which means , as Brian Sidlauskas , prof and curator of fishes at Oregon State University , notice “ the sexes were every bit fearsome . ”
O. rastrosuswent extinct over five million years ago when the oceans cooled , but their biology severalise us a great spate about habits that may appear in the next hundred years as climate change uphold . If things continue as they are , it is potential we will see warm ocean like to those that were home to the spike - toothed Salmon River .
The paper is published in the journalPLOS ONE .
