A group of paleontologists has described an ancient long-necked sea creature that lived about 240 million years ago in Guizhou, southern China, according to a study published Friday (23 Feb 2024) in the journal Earth and Environmental Science: Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Scientists have classified this species as a Dinocephalosaurus orientalis, a sea animal that had an extremely long neck, with 32 separate vertebrae, and resembled the traditional and colorful “Chinese Dragon”.
“Mythical Chinese Dragon”
“This discovery allows us to see this extraordinary long-necked animal in its entirety for the first time. It is another example of the weird and wonderful world of the Triassic that continues to baffle paleontologists,” he said in a statement. lead author Nick Fraser, Conservator of Natural Sciences at the National Museum of Scotland.
“We are sure that it will catch everyone’s attention with its striking appearance, reminiscent of the mythical long serpentine Chinese dragon,” he added.
The so-called “Chinese dragon” lived in the deep sea, had fins and fed on fish, as shown by analyzes of its mouth and teeth and the remains of fish preserved in its stomach.
Not related to plesiosaurs
Sample D. orientalis It was found in 2003. Since then, scientists have been working to determine which species it belonged to.
Some researchers have speculated that this sea creature might be related to Tanystropheus hydroides or with the famous plesiosaur, which also has a long neck. However, D. orientalis It is not related to the above species.
“Among all the extraordinary finds we have made in the Triassic of Guizhou Province is Dinocephalosaurus probably stands out as the most remarkable,” co-author Li Chun of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology said in the same statement.
