Legendary Dragon’s Ancestor? 240-Million-Year-Old Reptile Resembling Mythical Creature Discovered in China
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Dinocephalosaurus orientalis fossil discovered in China
The entire structure was revealed for the first time
Dinocephalosaurus orientalis / Captured from the National Museum of Scotland’s website
A fossil of a reptile dating back 240 million years, reminiscent of the legendary dragon, has been discovered.
According to BBC and CNN broadcasts on the 23rd (local time), scientists have discovered a fossil of “Dinocephalosaurus orientalis,” a marine reptile that lived during the Triassic period 240 million years ago.
The creature preserved in the fossil had a body length of 16.4 feet, and its neck was longer than its body and tail combined, bearing a striking resemblance to the legendary dragon.
One of the researchers, Dr. Nick Fraser of the National Museum of Scotland, described the creature as resembling a “The figure, twisted in the shape of the number 8, is reminiscent of a Chinese dragon.”
The existence of Dinocephalosaurus orientalis was first confirmed in 2003, but this fossil discovery has allowed for the first full anatomical structure of the creature to be known.
The discovered fossil of Dinocephalosaurus orientalis was found in the limestone layers of southern China.
The researchers who discovered the fossil speculated that the creature’s neck, composed of 32 vertebrae, was long and flexible, advantageous for finding prey in the crevices of underwater rocks.
Also, its arms and legs resembled duck feet, and a fish was found in the stomach part of the fossil. The researchers explained that the creature was well adapted to the marine environment.
Dr. Fraser suggested that Dinocephalosaurus orientalis “used its long neck to explore the crevices of underwater rocks and catch prey inside,” adding, “It’s a bizarre animal. There’s still confusion about the function of its long neck.”
Dr. Fraser added, “As a paleontologist, I use modern, similar creatures to understand past life, but no modern creatures are similar to Dinocephalosaurus orientalis. The Triassic was a strange and wonderful era inhabited by all peculiar animals.”
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