The remains of a 180-million-year old ichthyosaur has been discovered in the Midlands (Credits: PA)
The stays of a 180-million-year outdated ichthyosaur has been found within the Midlands (Credit: PA)

Scientists have hailed one of many ‘biggest finds’ in British palaeontological historical past after the most important fossilised stays of a prehistoric ‘sea dragon’ had been found within the Midlands.

The ichthyosaur, roughly 180 million years outdated with a skeleton measuring round 10 metres in size and a cranium weighing roughly one tonne, is the most important and most full fossil of its form ever discovered within the UK.

It was found by Joe Davis of Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Belief throughout a routine draining of a lagoon island at Rutland Water in February 2021.

The primary ichthyosaurs, that are known as sea dragons as a result of they have an inclination to have very giant tooth and eyes, had been found by fossil hunter and palaeontologist Mary Anning within the early nineteenth century.

Dr Dean Lomax, a palaeontologist who has studied the species, mentioned: ‘Regardless of the numerous ichthyosaur fossils present in Britain, it's exceptional to suppose that the Rutland ichthyosaur is the most important skeleton ever discovered within the UK.

Palaeontologists working on the ichthyosaur skeleton found at Rutland Nature Reserve. (Credits: PA)
Palaeontologists engaged on the ichthyosaur skeleton discovered at Rutland Nature Reserve. (Credit: PA)
The skeleton measures around 10 metres in length and the skull weighs approximately one tonne. (Credits: PA)
The skeleton measures round 10 metres in size and the cranium weighs roughly one tonne. (Credit: PA)

‘It's a actually unprecedented discovery and one of many biggest finds in British palaeontological historical past.’

Ichthyosaurs, which had been marine reptiles, first appeared round 250 million years in the past and went extinct 90 million years in the past, various in dimension from one to greater than 25 metres in size and resembling dolphins usually physique form.

The stays had been dug out by a group of professional palaeontologists from across the UK in August and September.

Two incomplete and far smaller ichthyosaurs had been discovered through the preliminary building of Rutland Water within the Seventies. Nonetheless, the most recent discovery is the primary full skeleton.

The remains were dug out by a team of expert palaeontologists from around the UK in August and September. (Credits: PA)
The stays had been dug out by a group of professional palaeontologists from across the UK in August and September. (Credit: PA)
It is the largest and most complete fossil of its kind ever found in the UK. (Credits: PA)
It's the largest and most full fossil of its form ever discovered within the UK. (Credit: PA)

Dr Mark Evans of the British Antarctic Survey mentioned: ‘I’ve been learning the Jurassic fossil reptiles of Rutland and Leicestershire for over 20 years.

‘Once I first noticed the preliminary publicity of the specimen with Joe Davis I may inform that it was the most important ichthyosaur recognized from both county.

‘Nonetheless, it was solely after our exploratory dig that we realised that it was virtually full to the tip of the tail.’

He added: ‘It’s a extremely important discovery each nationally and internationally but additionally of giant significance to the folks of Rutland and the encircling space.’

One of the 'greatest finds' in British palaeontological history (Credits: PA)
One of many ‘biggest finds’ in British palaeontological historical past (Credit: PA)

Nigel Larkin, a specialist palaeontological conservator, mentioned: ‘It’s not typically you might be liable for safely lifting a vital however very fragile fossil weighing that a lot.

‘It's a duty, however I like a problem. It was a really advanced operation to uncover, report, and acquire this essential specimen safely.’

The excavation of the stays will characteristic on BBC Two’s Digging For Britain on Tuesday at 8pm.