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Osaka Fossils Reveal Potentially New Ancient Sea Creature
2 Jul
Summary
- Osaka fossils from the 1990s may belong to a new species.
- Analysis revealed unique jaw tip and lack of a blood vessel groove.
- The ancient marine reptile was likely about 6 meters long.
Research by a team from Okayama University of Science and other institutions suggests that mosasaur fossils discovered in Osaka Prefecture in the early 1990s might be of a new species. The fossils, found in Kaizuka between 1990 and 1992, were previously unexamined due to a lack of specialized equipment.
Recent advancements in mosasaur studies prompted the team to analyze the fossils. They successfully cleaned the specimens, revealing an upper jaw tip—a feature previously unfound in Japan—along with other bones. The analysis indicated the creature was approximately 6 meters long and lacked a blood vessel groove common in other mosasaurs.
Mosasaurs were large, carnivorous marine reptiles that inhabited the oceans between 80 million and 65 million years ago. These ancient animals resembled enormous crocodiles but possessed flippers, similar to modern marine mammals. The unique characteristics observed in the Osaka fossils point towards the possibility of this being a distinct, previously undiscovered species.
