🔗 Share this article

A nearly complete skeleton discovered along Dorset's Jurassic Coast has been identified as a previously unknown species of ichthyosaur, a type of prehistoric marine reptile that once ruled the oceans.

This marine creature ichthyosaur has been named Xiphodracon goldencapensis, or the "sword dragon of Dorset" and represents the sole documented specimen of its type.

Scientists report that marks on its cranium indicate the "blade serpent" may have been killed by a bite to the head, potentially inflicted by a much larger type of ichthyosaur.

Initially found by a prolific fossil collector at Golden Cap in Dorset in 2001, the recently identified ichthyosaur was later acquired by a institution in Canada.

Only in recent times been completely studied by experts and a paper released identifying it as a new species of ichthyosaur.

"I thought long and hard about the name," stated ichthyosaur expert Dr Dean Lomax, who co-authored the paper classifying the skeleton as a novel type.

"Xiphodracon translates to sword-like dragon and that is in reference to that very long, sword-like nose, but also the fact that ichthyosaurs have been referred to as sea dragons for about 200 years."

Prehistoric Ocean Creatures

These creatures are categorized as marine reptiles, not dinosaurs, because they lived entirely in the water. This particular ichthyosaur is thought to have inhabited the oceans about 185 million years ago, a period from which very few ichthyosaur fossils have been found.

"In this period ichthyosaurs are incredibly rare, and Xiphodracon is the most complete individual ever found from there, helping to fill a gap," Dr Lomax said. "It's a missing piece of the mystery in ichthyosaur evolution."

Distinctive Features

The "sword dragon" is thought to have been about 3m long and has several characteristics that have not been seen in other types of ichthyosaur.

• Researchers report the most unusual detail is a prong-like bone near its nostril
• Its head has an enormous eye socket
• An extended sword-like snout that it used to eat fish and squid

Existence and Demise

There are also clues as to how this specific individual lived and died.

"Its fins and dental structure are malformed in such a way that indicates serious injury or disease while the creature was still alive," stated study co-author Dr Erin Maxwell.

"Its head appears to have been attacked by a large predator - probably another much larger type of ichthyosaur - giving us a reason for demise for this specimen. Life in the Mesozoic oceans was a risky prospect."

Discovery and Analysis

This "sword dragon" was discovered in 2001 by paleontology enthusiast Chris Moore and then acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada where it took more than 15 years to be fully analyzed.

"I don't mean to boast but I have found a number of them," Mr Moore stated.

The precise count he's unearthed is somewhere in the region of 15, with multiple of them, like the "sword dragon", turning out to be previously unknown types.

Mr Moore says he is intending to commemorate the recent finding but has not yet determined precisely what form the celebration will take.

"Either sparkling wine or traditional brew, I'm undecided at this moment," he commented.

This remarkable discovery is one of numerous ichthyosaur fossils that have been discovered along Dorset's Jurassic Coast dating back to the initial findings of pioneering palaeontologist Mary Anning in the beginning of the nineteenth century.