A nearly complete skeleton of a prehistoric marine reptile called Xiphodracon Goldencapensis, or Dorset Sword Dragon, has been found on the Jurassic Coast of Great Britain. This dolphin-sized ichthyosaur is the first described genus of Early Jurassic species described in the region for more than a century, helping to fill in gaps in the animals’ evolutionary record.
The fossil was discovered by collector Chris Moore near Gold Cap in 2001 and is almost perfectly preserved in three dimensions, Science X reports. The skeleton featured a skull with a huge eye socket and a long, sword-shaped snout. The animal reached about three meters in length and fed on fish and squid. The remains even show traces of their last meal, making the find one of the most complete prehistoric reptiles from the Pliensbach period.
Description of the new species, Dr. It was prepared by an international team of paleontologists led by Dean Lomax. He noted that Xiphodracon was the missing piece of the ichthyosaur puzzle and helped identify the moment of faunal change in the early Jurassic. Lomax said the discovery provides insight into how several families of ichthyosaurs went extinct and new ones emerged earlier than previously thought.
Following the discovery, the skeleton was acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada, where it will remain part of the collection. Experts emphasize that the finding is rare; Complete or near-complete ichthyosaurs from the Pliensbachian period are extremely rare, and Xiphodracon provides important data on a critical phase of evolution.
Co-authors of the study are Professor Judy Massare and Dr. Studying this skeleton not only helps reconstruct the evolution of ichthyosaurs, but also helps better understand life in the Jurassic seas of Great Britain, says Erin Maxwell. They said the animal was injured and probably died in a fight with a larger predator, illustrating the dangers of the Mesozoic oceans.
Meanwhile, recently one of the most famous archaeological mysteries in the world finally received a scientific explanation. US scientists say they have solved the mystery of how the ancient inhabitants of Easter Island moved giant moai stone statues almost a thousand years ago. Read more here.
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Source: People Talk
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