150-Million-Year-Old Sea Monster Found on the ‘Jurassic Coast’

What if today, we could stumble upon the remains of a colossal sea monster that roamed the Earth over 150 million years ago? Well, that is not reality!

A well-preserved pliosaur skull has been found on a beach in Dorset, England. And it is from a 150-million-year-old sea monster!

150-Million-Year-Old Sea Monster Discovered

Pliosaurs ruled the oceans while dinosaurs lived on land. The newly discovered fossil is around 150 million years old, making it nearly 3 million years younger than previous finds. Researchers are examining it to see if it may represent a new species.

The fossil was first discovered in spring 2022, and its complex excavation and scientific study are featured in the upcoming BBC documentary “Attenborough and the Jurassic Sea Monster,” hosted by Sir David Attenborough, airing on PBS on February 14.

The Enormous Pliosaur Fossil From the 150-Million-Year-Old Sea Monster

The carnivorous marine reptile had an enormous skull measuring nearly 2 meters (6.6 feet) long, weighing over half a metric ton. Pliosaur species could grow up to 15 meters (50 feet) in length, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica.

The fossil was found deep in a cliff. It was approximately 11 meters (36 feet) above ground and 15 meters (49 feet) down. Local paleontologist Steve Etches, who assisted in the discovery, shared this information with CNN.

Extracting the fossil was a dangerous task. This is because the crew worked against time during a brief period of good weather before summer storms could erode the cliff and potentially destroy the valuable find.

The Uncovering Journey

Etches was alerted to the fossil’s existence by his friend Philip Jacobs, who found the pliosaur’s snout on the beach. They were excited from the start because the complete jaws indicated the fossil was well-preserved.

Using drones to map the cliff, Etches, and his team spent three weeks chiseling into the rock while suspended in midair. They successfully extracted the fossil on the last possible day, finishing at 9:30 p.m.

Restoring the Skull

Etches carefully restored the skull, facing challenges when the mud and bone cracked. He likened the process to a jigsaw puzzle, gradually fitting the pieces back together. He noted it’s a “freak of nature” that the fossil is so well-preserved, as it died in a favorable environment with rapid sedimentation that led to quick burial on the seafloor.

The 150-Million-Year-Old Sea Monster Was… a Dinosaur?

The almost perfectly intact fossil reveals the pliosaur’s fearsome predator traits, including its huge, razor-sharp teeth and sensory pits on its skull that likely helped it detect changes in water pressure while hunting prey like dolphin-like ichthyosaurs.

The pliosaur had a bite twice as powerful as a saltwater crocodile, capable of cutting into a car, according to Emily Rayfield, a paleobiology professor. Andre Rowe noted that its massive size allowed it to prey effectively on anything unfortunate enough to be nearby.

What do you think of this 150-million-year-old sea monster discovery?

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