Latest news with #LateCretaceous
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fossils found in North America reveal new species of 'very odd' sea monster: Scientists
A prehistoric sea monster never-before-known to man was hunting prey in North America 85 million years ago, fossils found decades ago in Canada reveal. The first set of fossils, found in 1988 along the Puntledge River on Vancouver Island, were determined to belong to elasmosaurs, a genus of plesiosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous period, about 80.6 to 77 million years ago, according to the paper, published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. Additional fossils found since include an isolated right humerus and a well-preserved juvenile skeleton comprising of a thorax, girdles and limbs, according to the study. MORE: Evidence of 30-foot ancient sea monster found in Mississippi But they have now been formally identified to belong to a "very odd" new genus of sea monster called Traskasaura sandrae, the researchers said. The long-necked creature likely measured about 39 feet and had heavy, sharp teeth that were "ideal for crushing" ammonite shells, according to paleontologists. Dozens of well-preserved cervical vertebrae indicate at least 50 bones in the neck -- likely more, the researchers said. T. sandrae also had a "strange mix" of primitive and derived traits, unlike any other elasmosaur. Its unique adaptations allowed it to hunt prey from above -- the first of the plesiosaur taxa to do so, the paper states. Prey was likely abundant in the region at the time, the scientists said. "It has a very odd mix of primitive and derived traits," O'Keefe said. "The shoulder, in particular, is unlike any other plesiosaur I have ever seen, and I have seen a few." MORE: Underwater camera captures elusive tentacled creature 3 miles below ocean surface When lead author F. Robin O'Keefe first saw the fossils and realized they belonged to an entirely new taxon, he hypothesized that they may be related to the plesiosaurs from Antarctica, he said in a statement. But it is "a strange, convergently evolved, fascinating beast," O'Keefe said. "The fossil record is full of surprises," O'Keefe said. "It is always gratifying to discover something unexpected." The fossils are among the most famous in the country. In 2002, they were adopted by the Province of British Columbia and declared the official fossil emblem of British Columbia. "Plesiosaur fossils have been known for decades in British Columbia," O'Keefe said. "However, the identity of the animal that left the fossils has remained a mystery, even as it were declared BC's provincial fossil in 2023. Our new research, published today, finally solves this mystery." MORE: What paleontologists learned from fossils of a 3-eyed predator that lived 500 million years ago Paleontologists were reluctant at first to erect a new genus based solely on the adult skeleton of the elasmosaur. But a new 'excellently preserved' partial skeleton enabled this latest international team of scientists from Canada, Chile and the U.S. to eventually identify the new genus and species. The genus name Traskasaura was given in honor of Courtenay, British Columbia, where the researchers who discovered the original specimen in 1988 were based. The species name sandrae honors Sandra Lee O'Keefe, a member of the team of researchers who identified the fossils in 2002. They are currently on display at the Courtenay and District Museum and Palaeontology Centre in Courtenay, British Columbia. Fossils found in North America reveal new species of 'very odd' sea monster: Scientists originally appeared on
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fossils found in North America reveal new species of 'very odd' sea monster: Scientists
A prehistoric sea monster never-before-known to man was hunting prey in North America 85 million years ago, fossils found decades ago in Canada reveal. The first set of fossils, found in 1988 along the Puntledge River on Vancouver Island, were determined to belong to elasmosaurs, a genus of plesiosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous period, about 80.6 to 77 million years ago, according to the paper, published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. Additional fossils found since include an isolated right humerus and a well-preserved juvenile skeleton comprising of a thorax, girdles and limbs, according to the study. MORE: Evidence of 30-foot ancient sea monster found in Mississippi But they have now been formally identified to belong to a "very odd" new genus of sea monster called Traskasaura sandrae, the researchers said. The long-necked creature likely measured about 39 feet and had heavy, sharp teeth that were "ideal for crushing" ammonite shells, according to paleontologists. Dozens of well-preserved cervical vertebrae indicate at least 50 bones in the neck -- likely more, the researchers said. T. sandrae also had a "strange mix" of primitive and derived traits, unlike any other elasmosaur. Its unique adaptations allowed it to hunt prey from above -- the first of the plesiosaur taxa to do so, the paper states. Prey was likely abundant in the region at the time, the scientists said. "It has a very odd mix of primitive and derived traits," O'Keefe said. "The shoulder, in particular, is unlike any other plesiosaur I have ever seen, and I have seen a few." MORE: Underwater camera captures elusive tentacled creature 3 miles below ocean surface When lead author F. Robin O'Keefe first saw the fossils and realized they belonged to an entirely new taxon, he hypothesized that they may be related to the plesiosaurs from Antarctica, he said in a statement. But it is "a strange, convergently evolved, fascinating beast," O'Keefe said. "The fossil record is full of surprises," O'Keefe said. "It is always gratifying to discover something unexpected." The fossils are among the most famous in the country. In 2002, they were adopted by the Province of British Columbia and declared the official fossil emblem of British Columbia. "Plesiosaur fossils have been known for decades in British Columbia," O'Keefe said. "However, the identity of the animal that left the fossils has remained a mystery, even as it were declared BC's provincial fossil in 2023. Our new research, published today, finally solves this mystery." MORE: What paleontologists learned from fossils of a 3-eyed predator that lived 500 million years ago Paleontologists were reluctant at first to erect a new genus based solely on the adult skeleton of the elasmosaur. But a new 'excellently preserved' partial skeleton enabled this latest international team of scientists from Canada, Chile and the U.S. to eventually identify the new genus and species. The genus name Traskasaura was given in honor of Courtenay, British Columbia, where the researchers who discovered the original specimen in 1988 were based. The species name sandrae honors Sandra Lee O'Keefe, a member of the team of researchers who identified the fossils in 2002. They are currently on display at the Courtenay and District Museum and Palaeontology Centre in Courtenay, British Columbia. Fossils found in North America reveal new species of 'very odd' sea monster: Scientists originally appeared on
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Science
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Pterosaur Fossil Found in Japan Identified as New Species
Courtesy of Mifune Dinosaur Museum / Jiji Press A fossilized cervical vertebra of Nipponopterus mifunensis KUMAMOTO (Jiji Press) — A fossilized cervical vertebra discovered back in 1996 in southwestern Japan has been found to have been a new genus and species of pterosaur, a prehistoric flying reptile. A research team made up of members from Mifune Dinosaur Museum, which has the fossil on display, and others named the new species of the extinct flying vertebrates 'Nipponopterus mifunensis,' or 'Japan's wings from Mifune' in Latin. This is the first time that a pterosaur has been named based on a fossil found in Japan. The fossil was discovered from a geologic formation dating back 100.5 million to 66 million years during the Late Cretaceous period in the town of Mifune in Kumamoto Prefecture by the town's education board. Past research had confirmed that the fossil was of a specimen of the Azhdarchidae family, a group of long-necked pterosaurs. Due to the scarcity of available fossils that could be used as reference at the time, the exact genus and species were left unidentified. In the latest research, the team concluded that the fossil was of a new pterosaur genus and species due to several distinct features, through analysis of computed tomography scans and comparisons with about 200 species of pterosaurs. The team's finding was published in international journal Cretaceous Research in March this year. 'This is an important research result showing that pterosaurs were flying in the skies near Japan,' Naoki Ikegami, 57, a curator at the museum, said. 'The finding has opened the door to pterosaur research in Japan,' he added.
3 days ago
- Science
Fossils found in North America reveal new species of 'very odd' sea monster: Scientists
A prehistoric sea monster never-before-known to man was hunting prey in North America 85 million years ago, fossils found decades ago in Canada reveal. The first set of fossils, found in 1988 along the Puntledge River on Vancouver Island, were determined to belong to elasmosaurs, a genus of plesiosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous period, about 80.6 to 77 million years ago, according to the paper, published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. Additional fossils found since include an isolated right humerus and a well-preserved juvenile skeleton comprising of a thorax, girdles and limbs, according to the study. But they have now been formally identified to belong to a "very odd" new genus of sea monster called Traskasaura sandrae, the researchers said. The long-necked creature likely measured about 39 feet and had heavy, sharp teeth that were "ideal for crushing" ammonite shells, according to paleontologists. Dozens of well-preserved cervical vertebrae indicate at least 50 bones in the neck -- likely more, the researchers said. T. sandrae also had a "strange mix" of primitive and derived traits, unlike any other elasmosaur. Its unique adaptations allowed it to hunt prey from above -- the first of the plesiosaur taxa to do so, the paper states. Prey was likely abundant in the region at the time, the scientists said. "It has a very odd mix of primitive and derived traits," O'Keefe said. "The shoulder, in particular, is unlike any other plesiosaur I have ever seen, and I have seen a few." When lead author F. Robin O'Keefe first saw the fossils and realized they belonged to an entirely new taxon, he hypothesized that they may be related to the plesiosaurs from Antarctica, he said in a statement. But it is "a strange, convergently evolved, fascinating beast," O'Keefe said. "The fossil record is full of surprises," O'Keefe said. "It is always gratifying to discover something unexpected." The fossils are among the most famous in the country. In 2002, they were adopted by the Province of British Columbia and declared the official fossil emblem of British Columbia. "Plesiosaur fossils have been known for decades in British Columbia," O'Keefe said. "However, the identity of the animal that left the fossils has remained a mystery, even as it were declared BC's provincial fossil in 2023. Our new research, published today, finally solves this mystery." Paleontologists were reluctant at first to erect a new genus based solely on the adult skeleton of the elasmosaur. But a new 'excellently preserved' partial skeleton enabled this latest international team of scientists from Canada, Chile and the U.S. to eventually identify the new genus and species. The genus name Traskasaura was given in honor of Courtenay, British Columbia, where the researchers who discovered the original specimen in 1988 were based. The species name sandrae honors Sandra Lee O'Keefe, a member of the team of researchers who identified the fossils in 2002. They are currently on display at the Courtenay and District Museum and Palaeontology Centre in Courtenay, British Columbia.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fossils found in North America reveal new species of 'very odd' sea monster: Scientists
A prehistoric sea monster never-before-known to man was hunting prey in North America 85 million years ago, fossils found decades ago in Canada reveal. The first set of fossils, found in 1988 along the Puntledge River on Vancouver Island, were determined to belong to elasmosaurs, a genus of plesiosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous period, about 80.6 to 77 million years ago, according to the paper, published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. Additional fossils found since include an isolated right humerus and a well-preserved juvenile skeleton comprising of a thorax, girdles and limbs, according to the study. MORE: Evidence of 30-foot ancient sea monster found in Mississippi But they have now been formally identified to belong to a "very odd" new genus of sea monster called Traskasaura sandrae, the researchers said. The long-necked creature likely measured about 39 feet and had heavy, sharp teeth that were "ideal for crushing" ammonite shells, according to paleontologists. Dozens of well-preserved cervical vertebrae indicate at least 50 bones in the neck -- likely more, the researchers said. T. sandrae also had a "strange mix" of primitive and derived traits, unlike any other elasmosaur. Its unique adaptations allowed it to hunt prey from above -- the first of the plesiosaur taxa to do so, the paper states. Prey was likely abundant in the region at the time, the scientists said. "It has a very odd mix of primitive and derived traits," O'Keefe said. "The shoulder, in particular, is unlike any other plesiosaur I have ever seen, and I have seen a few." MORE: Underwater camera captures elusive tentacled creature 3 miles below ocean surface When lead author F. Robin O'Keefe first saw the fossils and realized they belonged to an entirely new taxon, he hypothesized that they may be related to the plesiosaurs from Antarctica, he said in a statement. But it is "a strange, convergently evolved, fascinating beast," O'Keefe said. "The fossil record is full of surprises," O'Keefe said. "It is always gratifying to discover something unexpected." The fossils are among the most famous in the country. In 2002, they were adopted by the Province of British Columbia and declared the official fossil emblem of British Columbia. "Plesiosaur fossils have been known for decades in British Columbia," O'Keefe said. "However, the identity of the animal that left the fossils has remained a mystery, even as it were declared BC's provincial fossil in 2023. Our new research, published today, finally solves this mystery." MORE: What paleontologists learned from fossils of a 3-eyed predator that lived 500 million years ago Paleontologists were reluctant at first to erect a new genus based solely on the adult skeleton of the elasmosaur. But a new 'excellently preserved' partial skeleton enabled this latest international team of scientists from Canada, Chile and the U.S. to eventually identify the new genus and species. The genus name Traskasaura was given in honor of Courtenay, British Columbia, where the researchers who discovered the original specimen in 1988 were based. The species name sandrae honors Sandra Lee O'Keefe, a member of the team of researchers who identified the fossils in 2002. They are currently on display at the Courtenay and District Museum and Palaeontology Centre in Courtenay, British Columbia. Fossils found in North America reveal new species of 'very odd' sea monster: Scientists originally appeared on
