BBC NEWS ONLINE: 'Sea dragon' fossil is 'largest on record'

    Press/Media: Research

    Description

    The fossil of a marine reptile ''re-discovered'' in a museum is the largest of its kind on record, say scientists.

    The ''sea dragon'' belongs to a group that swam the world's oceans 200 million years ago, while dinosaurs walked the land.

    The specimen is the largest Ichthyosaurus to be described, at more than three metres long.

    It was discovered on the coast of England more than 20 years ago, but has remained unstudied until now.

    Palaeontologist Sven Sachs saw the fossil on display at a museum in Hannover. He contacted UK palaeontologist, Dean Lomax, who is an expert on Ichthyosaurs.

    ''It amazes me that specimens such as this [the biggest] can still be 'rediscovered' in museum collections,'' said the University of Manchester palaeontologist.

    Period28 Aug 2017

    Media coverage

    1

    Media coverage

    • Title'Sea dragon' fossil is 'largest on record'
      Media name/outletBBC News Online
      Media typeWeb
      Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
      Date28/08/17
      DescriptionThe fossil of a marine reptile ''re-discovered'' in a museum is the largest of its kind on record, say scientists.

      The ''sea dragon'' belongs to a group that swam the world's oceans 200 million years ago, while dinosaurs walked the land.

      The specimen is the largest Ichthyosaurus to be described, at more than three metres long.

      It was discovered on the coast of England more than 20 years ago, but has remained unstudied until now.

      Palaeontologist Sven Sachs saw the fossil on display at a museum in Hannover. He contacted UK palaeontologist, Dean Lomax, who is an expert on Ichthyosaurs.

      ''It amazes me that specimens such as this [the biggest] can still be 'rediscovered' in museum collections,'' said the University of Manchester palaeontologist.
      URLwww.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41012226
      PersonsDean Lomax

    Keywords

    • palaeontology
    • Ichthyosaurus
    • fossils