The whale’s powerful jaw and menacing size meant it was likely a top predator of the sea during its reign on Earth (via NPR). The original predecessors to whales were actually land creatures, herbivorous mammals compared to deer. At some point, they evolved into amphibious — and deadly — creatures before taking to the water full-time. Though it was discovered in the deserts of Egypt, this whale would have lived when it was a fertile ocean. The Fayum Depression, where the fossil was found, is rich with the skeletons of this ancient sea (via BBC).

The “Anubis” whale is not the first legged whale discovered, as a whale with four legs, webbed feet, and even hooves was found in Peru back in 2011. This creature would have lived around the same time as its African counterpart. However, amphibious Phiomicetus anubis is the earliest semi-aquatic whale to be discovered in Africa, giving paleontologists a clearer picture into the bizarre evolutionary journey of whales. Who knows was fascinating, and frankly terrifying, discoveries still wait to be unearthed from the Egyptian sands.