Scientists Unearth "Sword Dragon" Fossil Skeleton from UK Coast, Revealing a New Look at Prehistoric Life
The Daily Galaxy • • science
Key Points:
- The newly discovered ichthyosaur fossil, Xiphodracon goldencapensis, dating back 190 million years, represents the first new genus of Early Jurassic ichthyosaur described in over a century and provides key insights into a major evolutionary turnover in marine reptiles.
- Found near Golden Cap on the Jurassic Coast in 2001, the nearly complete skeleton features a sword-like snout and large eye socket, suggesting it was a three-meter-long predator of fish and squid, with possible traces of its last meal preserved.
- This rare fossil helps pinpoint when significant ichthyosaur family changes occurred during the Pliensbachian period, a time previously lacking well-preserved specimens, revealing that marine reptile faunal turnover happened
