Father-daughter duo uncover jaw of Earth's largest marine reptile
A massive jaw discovered by a father and daughter on a beach in Somerset, United Kingdom, belonged to a newly discovered species. It was likely the largest known marine reptile to have swum in Earth's oceans. Paleontologists from the United Kingdom, Germany, and the USA reached this conclusion, underscoring the impressive size of their findings.
6:13 AM EDT, April 20, 2024
Justin and Ruby Reynolds, residents of Braunton in England, stumbled upon fragments of the jawbone in May 2020 while searching for fossils at Blue Anchor Beach in Somerset. Eleven-year-old Ruby spotted the first piece, and together, they unearthed more fragments of the bone.
Realizing the uniqueness of their find, they promptly contacted Dr Dean Lomax, a palaeontologist at the University of Manchester. Lomax enlisted the help of fossil hunter Paul de la Salle, who had found a similar ichthyosaur jaw in 2016 near Lilstock. However, the specimen from Blue Anchor was in better condition.
While scientists regard the blue whale as the largest swimming animal, reaching about 110 feet in length, evidence suggests that an ichthyosaur from 202 million years ago might have rivalled it in size.
The ichthyosaur jaw measured over 6.5 feet in length, leading scientists to estimate that the entire marine reptile could span over 82 feet, equivalent to the length of two city buses.
A discovery from over 200 million years ago
The jaw of the giant reptile found in Somerset is believed to be over 200 million years old, dating back to the end of the Triassic period. Lomax and de la Salle, piecing together the two fossils, suspected them to be from the same marine reptile.
"When I found the first jawbone, I knew it was something special. To have a second that confirms our findings is incredible. I am overjoyed," said de la Salle, quoted by CNN.
The newly discovered marine reptile has been named Ichthyotitan severnensis. Ichthyosaurs, resembling modern dolphins, first appeared around 250 million years ago. Over time, they evolved into larger forms, and by about 202 million years ago, titans like severnensis were likely the largest marine reptiles.
Could the Ichthyosaur have been even larger?
According to scientists, further research is necessary to confirm the exact size of severnensis, who remain hopeful that a complete skull or skeleton will eventually be found, offering more accurate size estimates.
Co-author Marcello Perillo, from the University of Bonn, suggested that the marine reptile was still growing at its death, implying that an adult severnensis could have been larger than a blue whale. Reynolds and de la Salle's discovery is slated for display at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery soon.
