180 million-year-old ‘sea dragon’ found in the UK
By Ben Turner via SWNS
A huge prehistoric sea dragon - around 180 million years old - is thought to be the biggest fossil of its kind to be found in the UK.
The ichthyosaur, a marine reptile, measures 10 meters ( 32 feet) in length and its skull weighs roughly one tonne (2,204.6 lb).
Conservationists made the groundbreaking discovery at a nature reserve in Rutland - the UK's smallest county.
The ichthyosaur - colloquially known as a "Sea Dragon" - lived exclusively in the water and resembled a modern-day dolphin in its body shape.
It first appeared 250 million years ago and went extinct 90 million years ago.
This is the first time that an ichthyosaur of this size has been found in such a well-preserved condition in the UK.
"It is a truly unprecedented discovery and one of the greatest finds in British paleontological history,"said Dr. Dean Lomax, a paleontologist who led the excavation.
"Britain is the birthplace of ichthyosaurs – their fossils have been unearthed here for over 200 years, with the first scientific dating back to Mary Anning and her discoveries along the Jurassic Coast.
"Despite the many ichthyosaur fossils found in Britain, it is remarkable to think that the Rutland ichthyosaur is the largest skeleton ever found in the UK."
The discovery was made at a reservoir owned by water company Anglian Water during routine draining in February 2021 before excavation was carried out in September.
Two incomplete and smaller ichthyosaurs were previously found during the construction of the reservoir in the 1970s.
“Rutland Water has a long list of previous, fascinating archaeological and paleontological discoveries, but none more exciting than this,"said Peter Simpson, CEO for Anglian Water.
Anglian Water is seeking heritage funding to ensure that the fossil can remain in Rutland so that it can be shared with the public.
Palaeontologists will continue to work on the research and conservation of the discovery, with academic papers to be published in the future.
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