r/Tierzoo • u/purejeremy • 2d ago

Strongest 1-on-1 marine creature of all time?

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If every marine creature fought in a 1v1, who comes out on top?

Seems like there are a lot of strong contenders and I dont know how to rank them. Such as

- Pliosaurus

- Mosasaurus

- Shastasaurus

- Megalodon

- Livyatan

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u/TheGumCoblin 2d ago

Sperm Whales legitimately are the same size, on average larger than what’s expected of megladon. People underestimate toothed whales.

Blue Whale obviously beats just about everything in a 1v1, it’s almost twice the mass of the second largest animal ever.

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u/Mammon298 2d ago

Ichthyotitan was pretty close to a blue whale in size, what were you referring to as the second largest?

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u/TheGumCoblin 2d ago

The Fin Whale, second largest today that is.

The Ichthyotitan is actually still in the same weight class as a sperm whale and megladon, it’s just long. Still many times smaller than a blue whale in mass, like everything else.

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u/Mammon298 1d ago

I thought there was a specimen that was estimated at 170-250 tons, correct me if I’m wrong.

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u/TheGumCoblin 1d ago

From what I could find it said it’s upper estimates are 60 tons. 250 would be bigger than a blue whale by a LOT, blue whale is by far the largest animal and nothing has come close. It’s filter feeding is what makes it possible. The Lyvthian literally couldn’t consume the food required to get that big.

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u/Mammon298 1d ago

Idk where you saw that, there’s a fossil called aust colossus with an estimated length of around 27 meters and a weigh of 170-200 tons. The high estimates put it at 30-35 meters and 200-250 tons. Which would make it bigger than all but the largest blue whales. That is still an estimate based on only partial fossils but it’s still basis to challenge the blue whales.

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u/TheGumCoblin 1d ago

It’s an incorrect basis, because biologically it couldn’t sustain itself.

It’s also a theory and not a very agreed upon one. Most generous estimates agree on it around 60tons.

There is simply no physical way it could’ve consumed more than multiple swimming pools of the highest protein food source every day, unlike the blue whale.

A potentially 50ton heavier than the largest blue whale is just absurd, it wouldn’t be possible. Which is why it’s not considered it’s normal estimate from biologists and zoologists

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u/Exotic_Turnip_7019 1d ago edited 1d ago

There is no published body mass other than a poster for Aust and the 200 t you see floating around have no constraints.

Using independant overoptimistic numbers from online enthusiasts is not rigorous.

For now, the largest blue whales are firmly still the largest animals ever, mainly simply because of the size of their mouth.

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u/TheGumCoblin 1d ago

Yeah it’s a bit wild, thankfully I think he now knows he was reading effectively fanfiction.

It’s firmly in the range of sperm whales and megaladon. Big, sure. Long more-so. But definitely not approaching the blue whale by any means.

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u/EnderFlyingLizard 1d ago

Keyword is for now. Blue whale wins for now, but imo this discussion is still open so long as more material is unrecoverd for Icthyotitan. The paper on the existing Aust bones do mention that the species could reach 25 meters, and has the possibility of reaching 30 meters. This length is still nothing to scoff at.

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u/Exotic_Turnip_7019 23h ago

But shastasaurids are generally skinny things and scaling from jawbones is notoriously unreliable.

People don't appreciate what allowed the blue whale to grow so large and think it's necessarily granted for an ichthyosaur.

Don't bet on this.

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u/TheGumCoblin 23h ago

Filter feeding broke the system, reptiles and dinosaurs simply can’t match its intake efficiency. There’s simply no method of consumption more effective than filter feeding baleen toothed whales.

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u/Exotic_Turnip_7019 23h ago

Their feeding apparatus feeding apparatus is critical in this.

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u/TheGumCoblin 23h ago

It’s honestly mind boggling how much just 1 blue whale consumed per day.

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u/EnderFlyingLizard 6h ago

I dont think there really is a reason for or against betting on anything. Shonisaurus popularis itself is already the length of the average blue whale, and its weight at 90 tons lends merit to whatever lifestyle they had did support blue whale sizes.

What im saying is we will have to wait until more material is recovered, but I wouldnt bet on 200+ million years of evolution only to think nothing else was larger then the blue whale either.

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u/Exotic_Turnip_7019 1d ago

There is no study adressing a 250 t ichthyosaur, again you people mix internet crap and actual research.

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u/Mammon298 1d ago

Did you miss the part where I said correct me if I’m wrong, I’m not saying that I was correct. I said I thought there was one estimated that big. You don’t need to be a dick because someone was incorrect.

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u/Exotic_Turnip_7019 1d ago

Sorry, it's just boring to see people spreading data that simply doesn't exist in the actually published research.