The Cenozoic Bony Fish Thread

The fossils were originally found in the canyons of the Parana river in the Entre Ríos province, and are 10 million years old. Researchers have named it Phractocephalus yaguaron. Yaguarón is a Guaraní word for a mythical being very rooted in popular culture of the Argentinian coastal and northern regions. It is depicted as a giant fish, greenish, with a flattened back and head. It moves in the river bottom creating whirlpools that sink boats (...) some depictions suggest this animal had a head similar to a bull's and a body like a serpent. (Either way) the Yaguarón is a monster of the deep closely associated with the Parana river, which in nights of full moon moves about causing mudslides on the river banks and often causing the death of men and livestock.

The fossil fish' remains are so big and massive that they were erroneously identified as those of a colossal crocodile. The remains indicate this giant catfish would've been over two meters long and probably weighed over 70 kg.