Stunned scientists discover ‘very strange’ 240-million-year-old ‘DRAGON’ fossil

PALEONTOLOGISTS have discovered a ‘remarkably’ well-preserved ‘dragon fossil’ in China dating back 240 million years.

The complete fossil – a rarity considering its size – is of a 5-meter-long aquatic reptile from the Triassic in Guizhou.

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Its long neck and tail have earned it the nickname “dragon”, although that is actually what it is called Dinocephalosaurus orientalis.

The Dinocephalosaurus orientalis was first identified in 2003, but scientists have not yet been able to study the animals’ complete anatomy, according to new researchpublished by Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Of all the extraordinary finds we’ve made in the Triassic of Guizhou Province, Dinocephalosaurus probably stands out as the most remarkable.

Professor Li Chun, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology

Dr. Nick Fraser from National Museums Scotland, who was part of the international team that studied the fossil, said this was the first time scientists had been able to see it in full.

“This discovery allows us to see this remarkable long-necked animal in its entirety for the very first time,” he said.

“It’s yet another example of the weird and wonderful world of the Triassic that continues to baffle paleontologists.

“We are sure it will capture the imagination around the world for its striking appearance, reminiscent of the long and serpentine mythical Chinese dragon.”

In a separate conversation with the BBC, Dr. Fraser the beast as “a very strange animal”.

“This discovery only adds to the strangeness of the Triassic,” he added.

“And every time we look into these deposits, we find something new.”

Despite superficial similarities, Dinocephalosaurus was not closely related to the Plesiosaurs that emerged some 40 million years later – the species thought to have inspired the Loch Ness monster mystery.

The discovery is the result of international efforts that have paid off, in addition to the finds of additional specimens since 2003.

Researchers from Scotland, Germany, America and China spent ten years studying Dinocephalosaurus Orientalis at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

“This was an international effort. Working with colleagues from the United States, United Kingdom and Europe, we used newly discovered specimens from the Chinese Academy of Sciences to build on our existing knowledge about this animal,” said Professor Li Chun of the institute. said.

“Of all the extraordinary finds we have made in the Triassic of Guizhou Province, Dinocephalosaurus probably stands out as the most remarkable.”