After a find on the Jurassic Coast in the U.K., paleontologists have at last unraveled the enigma of an elusive “sword dragon” fossil.
According to an Oct. 10 statement from the University of Manchester, the fossil — unearthed near Dorset’s Gold Cap in 2001 — is a newly classified ichthyosaur species.
Ichthyosaurs, existing contemporaneously with dinosaurs, were air-breathing marine reptiles that once “dominated the ancient oceans,” officials stated.
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The ancient reptile is now named Xiphodracon goldencapensis, or the “Sword Dragon of Dorset,” and scientists estimate it originated in the Pliensbachian era, roughly 193 to 184 million years in the past.
Dean Lomax, an honorary research fellow at Manchester University, was among the paleontologists who assigned the creature its new moniker, which he cited as one of the “coolest aspects” of his profession.
“We chose Xiphodracon because of its elongated, sword-shaped snout — ‘xipho’ derives from the Greek term ‘xiphos’ for sword — and ‘dracon,’ of Greek and Latin origin for dragon, referencing the ichthyosaurs’ historical designation as ‘sea dragons’ spanning over 200 years,” he explained.
According to paleontologists, the Xiphodracon stretched approximately 10 feet in length and consumed fish and squid.
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“The fossil even hints at remnants of its last repast,” the press statement mentioned.
“It stands as potentially the most intact prehistoric reptile specimen globally from the Pliensbachian age.”
For more than two decades, the ichthyosaur intrigued experts, owing not only to the mystery of its species, but also its remarkable state of preservation.
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“The fossil is preserved almost flawlessly in three dimensions,” stated the university’s press release.
“The fossil features a cranium exhibiting a sizable eye socket in addition to a lengthy, sword-resembling snout.”
The primeval reptile “represents the solitary known instance of its lineage, thereby contributing substantially to bridging a significant void in the evolutionary fossil record of ichthyosaurs.”
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Lomax recounted his initial observation of the fossil in 2016.
“At that juncture, I recognized its distinctiveness, yet I did not anticipate its critical contribution to resolving a gap in our comprehension of a complex faunal transition during the Pliensbachian era,” he stated.
He characterized Xiphodracon as a “missing component of the ichthyosaur enigma,” as its unearthing offers researchers enhanced insights into the extinction continuum.
“This period holds paramount importance for ichthyosaurs, marked by the extinction of numerous families concurrent with the rise of novel lineages.”
