Massive 'Sea Dragon' Discovered in the United Kingdom
A remarkable discovery of a giant ichthyosaur fossil dating back 180 million years has been made near Rutland Water, England's largest reservoir.
A colossal ichthyosaur roamed the seas 180 million years ago.
The remains of this ten-meter-long marine reptile were uncovered close to Rutland Water, the largest reservoir in England. The skeleton was preserved beneath Jurassic-age clay sediments.
This fossil represents the largest and most complete marine reptile ever found in the United Kingdom. The discovery was made by chance when Rutland Water nature reserve worker Joe Davis noticed an unusual object protruding from the mud while maintaining the reservoir in February 2021.
Initially, Davis believed it to be a dinosaur and reported it to the county council. Excavations took place between August and September, and only recently was it revealed that the fossil belonged to a 'sea dragon' species known as Temnodontosaurus trigonodon, not a dinosaur.
The ichthyosaur’s skull is as large as a grand piano, and the total fossil weight is approximately one ton. Dr. Dean Lomax, who led the excavation, stated, "This is truly an unprecedented discovery and one of the greatest finds in British paleontological history."
To document the fossil with utmost precision, researchers took thousands of photographs and employed photogrammetry techniques. Using this data, they created a detailed 3D model of the ichthyosaur.
The first ichthyosaur fossils in the UK were discovered in the early 19th century by paleontologist Mary Anning. These marine reptiles inhabited Earth’s oceans around 250 million years ago but became extinct approximately 90 million years ago.
Ichthyosaurs are believed to have evolved from terrestrial reptiles that returned to the sea. They resemble dolphins or whales, but this similarity is a result of convergent evolution, where unrelated species develop similar traits to adapt to comparable environments.
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