A huge fossil was found during routine work on a reservoir in Great Britain. It is the largest specimen ever found. The pictures are fascinating.
Rutland – ten meters long and a skull weighing a ton: British researchers have found the fossil of a so-called sea dragon in a reservoir in the East Midlands. Scientifically, the animal is also known as an ichthyosaur. The fossil is around 180 million years old and a real sensation for researchers. The ichthyosaur was found during routine work in the Rutland Water Nature Reserve. Part of the reservoir had to be drained. The long skeleton came to light, reported the British news agency PA.
Huge fossil discovered in Rutland: the sea dragon is a special find for the researchers
Ichthyosaurs were dinosaurs that lived in water. The dolphin-like creatures lived exclusively in the sea and became extinct about 93 million years ago. Researchers discovered the remains of ichthyosaurs in Great Britain as early as the early 19th century. Nevertheless, this find is something special for the researchers. The fossil, which was discovered by chance in Rutland in February 2021, is the largest and most complete specimen that has been discovered to date. It is also the only one of its kind. There were probably 80 species of ichthyosaurs in total.
“It is a highly significant discovery, both nationally and internationally, but also of the greatest importance to the people of Rutland and the surrounding area,” said Mark Evans of the British Antarctic Survey, according to the PA report. A similarly large prehistoric animal was found in Argentina in 2020.
Huge ichthyosaur fossil discovered in Rutland: “One of the greatest finds in British history”
Researchers and others who discovered the fossil in the lake seem extremely enthusiastic. Joe Davis, the leader of the conservation team for work on the reservoir at the Rutland Wildlife Trust, described the find to bbc as “absolutely fascinating and a real career highlight.” “It’s great to learn so much from the discovery and to think about it that this amazing creature once swam in the seas above us, Davis said.
The statements of the paleontologist and excavation director Dr Dean Lomax sound similarly enthusiastic. “It is a truly unprecedented discovery and one of the greatest discoveries in British paleontological history,” says bbc. The fossil is currently being examined and preserved in an undisclosed location in Shropshire. However, it is intended to return to Rutland, where it was found, as a permanent exhibition. Again and again, such finds can help to better understand life millions of years ago. The discovery of dinosaur nests, for example, revealed that dinosaurs lived in herds. (chd) * tz.de is part of IPPEN.MEDIA.
Rubriklistenbild: © Anglian Water/dpa
