New species of 'Jurassic sea monster' identified in old fossil
The newly classified species of plesiosaur (Plesionectes longicollum, which means "early swimmer with long neck"), likely had the distinction of having the longest neck of other plesiosaurs during the Early Jurassic period (from about 174.7 to 201.4 million years ago), said Sven Sachs of the Naturkunde-Museum Bielefeld, the study's lead author.
The bones of the reptile – not a dinosaur – were found in 1978 by Gotthilf Fischer, owner of a quarry and a small museum in Holzmaden, Germany, wrote Sachs and co-author Daniel Madzia from the Polish Academy of Sciences in the journal PeerJ Life & Environment on Aug. 4.
The Holzmaden region in southwest Germany has historically been a hotbed for Jurassic period discoveries including other species of plesiosaurs, which were piscivorous reptiles (they fed on fish), thalattosuchians (marine crocodiles), and dolphin-like marine reptiles known as ichthyosaurs, which have been found to be as long as 65 feet.
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Other researchers had noted the distinguishing characteristics of the plesiosaur's skeleton, which is in the Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History. "This specimen has been in collections for decades, but previous studies never fully explored its distinctive anatomy," Sachs said in a news release about the research. "Our detailed examination revealed an unusual combination of skeletal features that clearly distinguish it from all previously known plesiosaurs."
The new species had at least 43 vertebrae and perhaps as many as 45 – the remains of the plesiosaur's skull is smashed and not as well-preserved – "the long neck is special for a plesiosaur from the Lower Jurassic," Sachs told USA TODAY.
In addition to a very long neck, Plesionectes longicollum had "a rather small head," Sachs said. But it "was an agile swimmer with paddle like limbs."
The reptile also had more back vertebrae than most other plesiosaurs of the period and had V-shaped joints between vertebrae in the neck and chest, he said.
This newly-identified plesiosaur measured about 10.5 feet and is the oldest known plesiosaur found in the region, where the Tethys Sea covered much of Europe into the Cenozoic era, which began 66 million years ago.
Fossils of plesiosaurs have been dated back to the Triassic period about 250 million years ago into the Cretaceous period, before dinosaurs vanished about 65 million years ago, according to Britannica. Plesiosaurs were known to have lived in North America, Asia and Australia, and in the Pacific Ocean and European seas.
Plesiosaurs devoured all manner of marine life including squid and other plesiosaurs. But those with a long neck, such as Plesionectes longicollum, "mainly ate fish," Sachs said.
Some of the bones suggest the fossil represents "not an adult but more a older juvenile or young subadult," he said. "But it is possible … that it was an adult that retained anatomical features one would expect in a juvenile."
Regardless, the identification reveals another form of prehistoric life in a region already fertile for fossil finds. "This discovery adds another piece to the puzzle of marine ecosystem evolution during a critical time in Earth's history," Madzia said in a statement. "The early Toarcian period when this animal lived was marked by significant environmental changes, including a major oceanic anoxic event that affected marine life worldwide."
That period of global warming in the Jurassic period, scientists say, led to loss of oxygen in water and the extinction of many species.
The identification of a new pleisosaur in the Holzmaden region – this brings the findings up to six different kinds – "shows that the fauna there was quite diverse," Sachs said.
Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com
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New species of 'Jurassic sea monster' identified in old fossil
Paleontology researchers in Europe have identified a new species of ancient marine reptile – often referred to as a "Jurassic sea monster" or "sea dragon" – that existed nearly 183 million years ago. The newly classified species of plesiosaur (Plesionectes longicollum, which means "early swimmer with long neck"), likely had the distinction of having the longest neck of other plesiosaurs during the Early Jurassic period (from about 174.7 to 201.4 million years ago), said Sven Sachs of the Naturkunde-Museum Bielefeld, the study's lead author. The bones of the reptile – not a dinosaur – were found in 1978 by Gotthilf Fischer, owner of a quarry and a small museum in Holzmaden, Germany, wrote Sachs and co-author Daniel Madzia from the Polish Academy of Sciences in the journal PeerJ Life & Environment on Aug. 4. The Holzmaden region in southwest Germany has historically been a hotbed for Jurassic period discoveries including other species of plesiosaurs, which were piscivorous reptiles (they fed on fish), thalattosuchians (marine crocodiles), and dolphin-like marine reptiles known as ichthyosaurs, which have been found to be as long as 65 feet. Jupiter-Venus conjunction: How to see our solar system's 2 brightest planets in August Other researchers had noted the distinguishing characteristics of the plesiosaur's skeleton, which is in the Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History. "This specimen has been in collections for decades, but previous studies never fully explored its distinctive anatomy," Sachs said in a news release about the research. "Our detailed examination revealed an unusual combination of skeletal features that clearly distinguish it from all previously known plesiosaurs." The new species had at least 43 vertebrae and perhaps as many as 45 – the remains of the plesiosaur's skull is smashed and not as well-preserved – "the long neck is special for a plesiosaur from the Lower Jurassic," Sachs told USA TODAY. In addition to a very long neck, Plesionectes longicollum had "a rather small head," Sachs said. But it "was an agile swimmer with paddle like limbs." The reptile also had more back vertebrae than most other plesiosaurs of the period and had V-shaped joints between vertebrae in the neck and chest, he said. This newly-identified plesiosaur measured about 10.5 feet and is the oldest known plesiosaur found in the region, where the Tethys Sea covered much of Europe into the Cenozoic era, which began 66 million years ago. Fossils of plesiosaurs have been dated back to the Triassic period about 250 million years ago into the Cretaceous period, before dinosaurs vanished about 65 million years ago, according to Britannica. Plesiosaurs were known to have lived in North America, Asia and Australia, and in the Pacific Ocean and European seas. Plesiosaurs devoured all manner of marine life including squid and other plesiosaurs. But those with a long neck, such as Plesionectes longicollum, "mainly ate fish," Sachs said. Some of the bones suggest the fossil represents "not an adult but more a older juvenile or young subadult," he said. "But it is possible … that it was an adult that retained anatomical features one would expect in a juvenile." Regardless, the identification reveals another form of prehistoric life in a region already fertile for fossil finds. "This discovery adds another piece to the puzzle of marine ecosystem evolution during a critical time in Earth's history," Madzia said in a statement. "The early Toarcian period when this animal lived was marked by significant environmental changes, including a major oceanic anoxic event that affected marine life worldwide." That period of global warming in the Jurassic period, scientists say, led to loss of oxygen in water and the extinction of many species. The identification of a new pleisosaur in the Holzmaden region – this brings the findings up to six different kinds – "shows that the fauna there was quite diverse," Sachs said. Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @ & @mikesnider & msnider@
