“Dorset Sword Dragon: reshaping the evolutionary history of marine reptiles”
A Discovery Filling a 100-Million-Year Gap
In the cliffs of Dorset, one of the UK’s most emblematic fossil areas, an almost complete ichthyosaur skeleton has been hidden for 190 million years. Thanks to the analysis led by paleontologist Dean Lomax (University of Manchester and University of Bristol), the science now confirms that it is a new genus, nicknamed the “Sword Dragon of Dorset” for its elongated and stylized snout.
The study, published in Papers in Palaeontology, describes the first early Jurassic ichthyosaur genus discovered in over a century and the most complete marine reptile fossil from the Pliensbachian known to date.
A Jewel of the Jurassic Coast
Found near Golden Cap by collector Chris Moore in 2001, the fossil was not fully understood until years later. With nearly three meters in length, the specimen preserves the skull in three dimensions, jaws, teeth, fins, and almost the entire vertebral column. It is currently on display at the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada.
According to Lomax, this marine reptile is “a missing piece of the evolutionary puzzle,” showing that the turnover of ichthyosaurs occurred earlier than estimated. During that period, several families disappeared while new species began to emerge.
A Unique Anatomy
Morphological analysis reveals unique features:
- a thin, pointed snout;
- a huge eye socket, ideal for hunting in poorly lit waters;
- a lacrimal bone with bony spines never seen in other ichthyosaurs.
