Recently, a 2-meter-long fossilized plesiosaur skull was found off the Jurassic coast of Dorsetshire, England, and 130 original teeth are still preserved. Paleontologist Steve Eches told ** that the remains are unique and one of the best fossils he has ever studied.
The plesiosaur was a ferocious marine animal, also known as the "upper dragon". It is thought to live in about 1On Earth 500 million years ago. While scientists have known about the existence of this giant creature for a long time, the skull is believed to be one of the best-preserved fossils ever found.
The fossil's skull is 2 meters long, which is longer than most people's height. It has 130 teeth, some of which are larger than the palm of a human hand, and can even kill prey with just one bite. This animal is 10-12 meters long in total and has limbs that resemble flippers that can propel it to swim through the ocean at great speed.
It is hoped that this new discovery will provide scientists with new insights into what this predator looks like and how it lives. Researchers have found that dragons sometimes cannibalize. Dr Andre Row, from the University of Bristol, said: "The animal is very large and I think it is effective at preying on any prey that comes into its sight. It's like a Tyrannosaurus rex that lived underwater. ”
What's even more incredible is that this plesiosaur fossil was not found during archaeological excavations, but purely by accident. Fossil enthusiast Phil Jacobs was walking on the beach on the Jurassic Coast when he spotted the muzzle and nose of a dinosaur embedded in a pebble. Because of the weight of the huge fossilized skull, he and his friends used a makeshift stretcher to carry the finds.
They then spent months cleaning the skull to make it in the best condition for scientists to study. The drone has now identified the possible location of other parts of the animal's body, which, if found, could shed some insight into the creature's life. But because the cliffs at the site of the fossils retreat a few feet each year due to erosion, Phil said, it won't be long before the rest of the rock disappears along with the rocks.
It is reported that the skull will be on display at the Etching Museum in Gemrich next year.