Palaeontologists work at a site where remains of a Britain's largest ichthyosaur were found. /Anglian Water/Matthew Power Photography via Reuters
The fossilized remains of a Jurassic Ichthyosaur found in England's Midlands are believed to belong to the largest dinosaur of its kind discovered in the UK, according to a news release issued by Anglian Water on Monday.
Ichthyosaurs, also commonly known as "sea dragons," were something like a very large dolphin, able to reach 25 meters in size as adults. The British fossil, initially discovered in February 2021 at Rutland Water during a routine draining of a lagoon island for re-landscaping, is thought to be 180 million years old.
Ichthyosaurs resembled modern dolphins, though they were much larger in size. /Nobu Tamura
"The find has been absolutely fascinating and a real career highlight, it's great to learn so much from the discovery and to think that this amazing creature was once swimming in seas above us," Joe Davis, the conservationist at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust who discovered the fossil, told reporters.
Ichthyosaurs, which had quite big eyes and teeth (as you can see in the above digital reconstruction by Nobu Tamura) became extinct around 90 million years ago. The first Ichthyosaur fossil found in the UK, believed to be 195 million years old, was discovered by paleontologist Mary Anning in around 1836.
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A man poses next to excavated remains of a Britain's largest ichthyosaur, at Rutland Water, Rutland county in August 2021. /Anglian Water/Matthew Power Photography via Reuters
The fossil was completely excavated following the discovery in the summer, revealing the skeleton to be the most complete ever found in the country.
Anglian Water, which owns the area where the Ichthyosaur remains were found, is now looking for funds to protect and study the area surrounding Rutland Water. The fossil is currently being studied by experts and is expected to be put on display in the future.