Home / Science / Giant Sea Dragon Fossil Found by Tourists
Giant Sea Dragon Fossil Found by Tourists
27 Oct
Summary
- An enormous 10-meter ichthyosaur fossil found on a Dorset beach.
- The fossil, 174 million years old, is the UK's youngest of its kind.
- The discovery suggests ichthyosaurs survived a mass extinction event.
An immense 10-meter ichthyosaur fossil, dating back 174 million years, has been put on public display after tourists accidentally discovered its remains. The fossilized bones were found by Michel Plissart and Carine Christens on a beach near Bridport, Dorset.
Experts have identified this specimen as the youngest of its kind discovered in the UK. This finding challenges previous scientific understanding, indicating that ichthyosaurs, ancient marine predators, survived for nine million years longer than previously thought after a global environmental catastrophe.
The dolphin-like reptiles were air-breathers that inhabited the sea. While smaller species hunted fish and squid, larger ones like this Bridport ichthyosaur preyed on other marine reptiles. Palaeontologists raced against time to excavate the near-complete skeleton from sandstone before winter storms could destroy it.
Scientists at the University of Bristol dated the bones, revealing insights into the ichthyosaur's size and the UK's ancient tropical climate. Sea levels were higher, and the area was closer to the equator, resembling Barbados today. The fossil is currently exhibited at the Bridport Museum until April 10, 2027.
