A fossil of a paleontology has been found in Alaska, USA, and according to the Daily Mail on February 5, the fossil has been identified as a marine reptile, thalattosaur, and is a new genus that has not been discovered before.
Scientists discovered the fossil in the Tongas National Forest in 2011, but the results were only recently published in Scientific Reports. It is also the only well-preserved fossil of a sea dragon in North America.
The sea dragon was about 2.7 to 4 meters long and became extinct at the end of the Triassic period. Scientists named the new creature Gunakadeit joseeae, which means a sea monster in the legend of alaska's native Tringit people. This new type of sea dragon has a sharp beak, shaped like a lizard, and inhabited the coastal area of Alaska about 200 million years ago.
Pat Druckenmller, director of the Northern Museum at the University of Alaska and first author of the paper, said, "This animal is unusual because its mouth is very pointed. In fact, it's like a needle. "It seems to be to adapt to the living environment of shallow seas."
Co-author Neil Kelley said the sea dragon was one of the first terrestrial reptiles to live in the sea. Although they have been around on Earth for a long time, there are relatively few fossils. Therefore, this discovery is significant and conducive to the study of the evolution and extinction of this species.
To conclude that this is a new genus, Druckenmller also made a special trip to China, which is also one of the few countries where intact fossils of sea dragons have been found.
Speaking about the reasons for the extinction of this organism, Druckenmller said that they may only adapt to shallow water environments, and when sea levels drop and food sources change, they have nowhere to go.
Original source: dailymail
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