Ancient Sea Monster Unearthed on UK Beach May Be Largest Marine Reptile Ever Found

In a stunning discovery, scientists have uncovered the fossilized remains of an enormous, 200-million-year-old sea creature on a beach in the United Kingdom, suggesting it may be the largest marine reptile ever documented.

This colossal specimen belongs to the ichthyosaurs group, once dominant sea predators during the Mesozoic era, which spanned from 251.9 million to 66 million years ago. The newly identified species thrived during the late Triassic period, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of these prehistoric marine giants.

Despite the Mesozoic era being commonly associated with dinosaurs, ichthyosaurs were a distinct lineage of marine reptiles, that evolved from terrestrial ancestors. Their transition back to the sea mirrors the evolutionary trajectory of modern whales, which originated from land mammals.

The remarkable find of this newfound ichthyosaur species occurred in fragments between 2020 and 2022 at Blue Anchor, Somerset. Initially noticed atop a beach rock, the fossilized bones were likely discovered by a passerby before being further examined by researchers. These findings were detailed in a recent publication in the journal PLOS One.

The recovered remains primarily consist of 12 fragments from a surangular bone, part of the lower jawbone, estimated to be about 6.5 feet (2 meters) in length. Extrapolating from this discovery, scientists estimate that the complete creature would have measured an astonishing 82 feet (25 meters) long.

Named Ichthyotitan severnensis, which translates to “giant lizard fish of the Severn,” this sea monster’s title is derived from the location of its discovery near the Severn Estuary. Researchers propose that this specimen represents not only a new species but an entirely novel genus within the ichthyosaur family, adding to the over 100 known species of these ancient marine reptiles.

In addition to the jawbone fragments, the excavation site yielded other intriguing finds, including rib fragments and a coprolite (fossilized feces) although, these have yet to be definitively linked to the same creature.

The geological context surrounding these fossils suggests a turbulent period marked by seismic activity and tsunamis, indicative of intense volcanic events prevalent during the late Triassic era. These environmental disturbances likely contributed to a mass extinction event that marked the end of this geological epoch.

Interestingly a similar ichthyosaur specimen was unearthed in Lilstock, Somerset, in 2016 and described in 2018. Both discoveries hail from the Westbury Mudstone Formation within proximity, hinting at a potential hotspot for these prehistoric creatures.

Prior to this monumental find, the title of largest marine reptile was held by Shonisaurus sikanniensis, an ichthyosaur reaching up to 69 feet (21 meters) in length, which existed 13 million years prior to Ichthyotitan severnensis.

The unearthing of this colossal sea creature underscores the ongoing discoveries and advancements in paleontology, shedding new light on Earth’s ancient marine ecosystems and the fascinating evolutionary history of prehistoric life.

As reported by Live Science in their recent article