New Jurassic Sea Reptile Species Found in the UK Fills Evolutionary Gap

Jurassic ‘sword dragon’ prehistoric reptile. Credit: Dean R. Lomax / CC BY 4.0

Scientists person identified a uncommon taxon of ichthyosaur, a prehistoric marine reptile, from a astir implicit skeleton discovered on the UK’s Jurassic Coast. The fossil, named Xiphodracon goldencapensis, a notation to its long, blade-like snout and dragon-like features, is the lone known illustration of its kind. Experts accidental the past sword dragon oversea reptile offers captious penetration into an evolutionary spread dating backmost astir 190 cardinal years.

Unearthed adjacent Golden Cap successful Dorset successful 2001 by section fossil collector Chris Moore, the dolphin-sized carnal is the archetypal caller genus of Early Jurassic ichthyosaur described from the portion successful much than a century.

Preserved successful 3 dimensions, the skeleton includes a ample skull with a salient oculus socket and a sword-shaped snout. It measures astir 3 meters successful magnitude and apt fed connected food and squid.

Rare find fills an evolutionary gap

Researchers judge the fossil is the astir implicit prehistoric reptile from the Pliensbachian stage, a play betwixt 193 and 184 cardinal years ago. Traces of its past repast look to beryllium contiguous successful the remains, and the skeleton itself shows signs of trauma.

Deformed teeth and limb bones suggest unwellness oregon wounded during its lifetime. The skull besides bears wound marks from what whitethorn person been a larger predator, perchance different ichthyosaur, indicating it whitethorn person died from an attack.

Meet the Sword Dragon of Dorset, Xiphodracon goldencapensis, an awesome caller ichthyosaur we picture today! #fossilfriday

The world’s astir implicit Pliensbachian marine reptile.

Study: https://t.co/LTRkme6Fcl pic.twitter.com/LevijoLvz5

— Dr Dean Lomax (@Dean_R_Lomax) October 10, 2025

The specimen was aboriginal acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum successful Canada, wherever it remained unstudied for years.

It has present been described successful item successful the diary Papers successful Palaeontology by an planetary squad of paleontologists led by Dr. Dean Lomax, a probe chap astatine the University of Manchester and the University of Bristol.

Experts hint aboriginal marine evolution

Dr. Lomax said the fossil filled a missing portion successful the ichthyosaur lineage, helping researchers pinpoint a important displacement successful taxon diversity. This transition, known arsenic a faunal turnover, occurred earlier than antecedently believed during the Pliensbachian, not aboriginal successful the Jurassic arsenic erstwhile thought.

Co-author Professor Judy Massare of the State University of New York astatine Brockport noted that portion ichthyosaurs from periods earlier and aft the Pliensbachian are common, this signifier remains poorly understood. The find helps found erstwhile the evolutionary displacement occurred, though the reasons down it are inactive unclear.

Dr. Erin Maxwell, from the State Museum of Natural History successful Stuttgart, added that the fossil not lone sheds airy connected ichthyosaur improvement but besides offers a glimpse into marine beingness successful Jurassic Britain.

The Xiphodracon skeleton volition spell connected nationalist show astatine the Royal Ontario Museum successful Toronto.