We bet you didn’t have the discovery of a mythical being on your 2024 bingo card. An international team of scientists has unearthed a 240-million-year-old aquatic reptile fossil with an extremely long neck with snake-like features. Making it bear more than a passing resemblance to the mythical Chinese Dragon.
The fossil recovered belongs to a dinocephalosaurus orientalis, a being first discovered in 2003. These animals often grew to more than 16 feet and lived in the ocean during China’s Triassic period. Their necks contain an astounding 32 separate vertebrae, and their flippered limbs made them wonderfully adapted for a water-based existence. The recently discovered fossil also had extremely well-preserved fishes in its stomach region, giving researchers more insight into these elusive creatures.
“This discovery allows us to see this remarkable long-necked animal in full for the very first time,” Dr. Nick Fraser FRSE, Keeper of Natural Sciences at National Museums Scotland, said. “It is yet one more example of the weird and wonderful world of the Triassic that continues to baffle palaeontologists. We are certain that it will capture imaginations across the globe due to its striking appearance, reminiscent of the long and snake-like, mythical Chinese Dragon.”
“This has been an international effort,” says Professor Li Chun from the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology “Working together with colleagues from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Europe, we used newly discovered specimens housed at the Chinese Academy of Sciences to build on our existing knowledge of this animal. Among all of the extraordinary finds we have made in the Triassic of Guizhou Province, Dinocephalosaurus probably stands out as the most remarkable.”
“This remarkable marine reptile is another example of the stunning fossils that continue to be discovered in China,” adds Professor Robert Ellam, Editor-in-Chief of “Transactions” and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
The dinocephalosaurus orientalis fossil found in 2003 has been studied by a research team from four different countries; Scotland, Germany, America, and China. However, that specimen was much less complete than this one.
