date Dorset Dragon Sword, Ichthyosaur, which lived about 190 million years ago, It shows that the ocean still holds secrets Able to redefine the knowledge we have about them Evolution of marine life.
in 2001 Collector Chris Moore is foundOn the cliffs of Golden Cap, on the UK’s Jurassic Coast, The skeleton is more than three meters long and is very well preserved. Which belongs to A Dorset Sword Dragon (Xiphodracon goldencapensis).
The skull, with its distinctive elongated shape, resembles a sword. These details inspired its popular name It allowed scientists to identify a species that had never been recorded before.
The level of preservation makes this specimen The most complete ichthyosaur from the Pliensbachian periodIt is a poorly documented phase of the Early Jurassic period.
Now the magazine Papers in paleontology Results published From a study conducted by paleontologist Dean Lomax, of the Universities of Manchester and Bristol, who described the fossil as “A missing piece of the evolutionary puzzle.
This happens because This discovery helps fill a gap of about 100 million years In the fossil record of ichthyosaurs. Because, until now, it was not known specifically how these marine reptiles diversified after the great extinction that occurred in the Triassic.
Research was conducted between discovery and publication in a scientific journal It helps to understand how ichthyosaurs evolved body structures more efficiently for swimming. Dragon study Helps reconstruct the early history of ocean ecosystems.
Morphological analysis of the fossil reveals Special featuressuch as A Thin snout He pointed out; A huge eye socket, ideal for fishing in poorly lit water, and a tearbone in it Bone spines have never been seen before In other ichthyosaurs, explains an article on Gizmodo.
Scientists also found that it provides… Deformities Broken bones, teeth and bite marks, possibly caused by a larger ichthyosaur. So they specified Fish fragments in the abdominal areaWhich allowed us to deduce its diet and confirm that it was an active hunter.
These characteristics place him within the family LeptonectidaeIn addition to sex Hopheopteryxsuggesting that leptonectids diversified earlier than previously thought.
At the same time, it should be added Period Pliensbachian (193 to 184 million years ago) is a poorly documented phase. Therefore, Dorset Sword Dragon can become a reference To understand them How marine reptiles They have recovered After the great Triassic extinction and laying the foundations for the Middle Jurassic fauna.
Meanwhile, the Dorset coast is well known among scientists for the discoveries that have been made Pioneer Mary Anning It once again places itself at the heart of global paleontology. The original fossil, found in 2001, can be seen at the Royal Ontario Museum (Canada).