A remarkable, semi-articulated and near-complete ichthyosaur skeleton from the famous “Jurassic Coast” of Dorset helps to fill an important gap in the fossil record of ichthyosaurs.  Named Xiphodracon goldencapensis, this dolphin-sized marine reptile lived in the Early Jurassic.  Specifically, it lived during the Pliensbachian stage of the Early Jurassic.  The fossil material consisting of a stunning, three-dimensionally preserved skull along with extensive postcranial remains is around 186 to 184 million years old.  These fossils could represent the most complete reptile specimen known from the Pliensbachian.

Dr Dean Lomax and Professor Judy Massare study the skeleton of the newly named sword dragon ichthyosaur, Xiphodracon goldencapensis, at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada. Picture credit: Dr Dean Lomax.

Picture credit: Dr Dean Lomax

From Golden Cap

The fossils were discovered in the cliffs near Golden Cap between Bridport and Charmouth on the Dorset coast.  The material was found by fossil collector Chris Moore.  Chris has found several important marine reptile specimens, including other ichthyosaurs.  For example, in 2018 the BBC featured another ichthyosaur fossil discovery from Dorset in the documentary “Attenborough and the Sea Dragon”.  Ironically, the ichthyosaur featured in the television programme was probably killed by another ichthyosaur.  The newly named Xiphodracon goldencapensis may have suffered a similar grisly end.  The top of the skull bears evidence of a bite from a much larger marine reptile.

It has been postulated that the three-metre-long Xiphodracon may have been attacked by a Temnodontosaurus.  Temnodontosaurus is a genus of large, predatory ichthyosaurs, some of which could have reached lengths in excess of ten metres.

Ironically, the Temnodontosauridae persisted throughout the earlier Sinemurian stage of the Early Jurassic, through the Pliensbachian and into the Toarcian. However, the composition of the taxa represented by this period of time changed dramatically.

Ichthyosaur expert and co-author of the study, Professor Judy Massare, from the State University of NY at Brockport, (USA) stated:

“Thousands of complete or nearly complete ichthyosaur skeletons are known from strata before and after the Pliensbachian. The two faunas are quite distinct, with no species in common, even though the overall ecology is similar. Clearly, a major change in species diversity occurred sometime in the Pliensbachian. Xiphodracon helps to determine when the change occurred, but we still don’t know why.”

The skeleton and skull of the newly named sword dragon ichthyosaur, Xiphodracon goldencapensis. Picture credit: Dr Dean Lomax.

Picture credit: Dr Dean Lomax

Ichthyosaurs from the Pliensbachian are incredibly rare and this makes Xiphodracon a vital piece of evidence for scientists studying this critical but poorly understood time in ichthyosaurian evolution.

Xiphodracon goldencapensis – “Sword Dragon of Dorset”

The skull has an enormous eye socket. In addition, the rostrum is elongated.  Stomach contents may have been preserved, and they indicate that this ichthyosaur dined on fish and possibly squid. The study was undertaken by a trio of international palaeontologists led by ichthyosaur expert Dr Dean Lomax, an Honorary Research Fellow at The University of Manchester and an 1851 Research Fellow at the University of Bristol.

Dr Lomax has also played a crucial role in the development of Everything Dinosaur’s own range of prehistoric animal figures: Everything Dinosaur Evolution.

Dr Lomax commented:

“I remember seeing the skeleton for the first time in 2016. Back then, I knew it was unusual, but I did not expect it to play such a pivotal role in helping to fill a gap in our understanding of a complex faunal turnover during the Pliensbachian. This time is pretty crucial for ichthyosaurs as several families went extinct and new families emerged, yet Xiphodracon is something you might call a ‘missing piece of the ichthyosaur puzzle’. It is more closely related to species in the later Early Jurassic (in the Toarcian), and its discovery helps pinpoint when the faunal turnover occurred, being much earlier than expected.”

Dr Dean Lomax photographing the skeleton of the newly named sword dragon ichthyosaur, Xiphodracon goldencapensis, at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada. Picture credit: Dr Dean Lomax.

Picture credit: Dr Dean Lomax

Acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, Canada)

After its discovery in 2001, the skeleton was acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada.  It became part of their extensive collection of ichthyosaurs but had remained unstudied.

Co-author, Dr Erin Maxwell, (State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, Germany) explained:

“This skeleton provides critical information for understanding ichthyosaur evolution, but also contributes to our understanding of what life must have been like in the Jurassic seas of Britain. The limb bones and teeth are malformed in such a way that points to serious injury or disease while the animal was still alive, and the skull appears to have been bitten by a large predator – likely another much larger species of ichthyosaur – giving us a cause of death for this individual. Life in the Mesozoic oceans was a dangerous prospect.”

Dr Dean Lomax with the skull of the newly named sword dragon ichthyosaur, Xiphodracon goldencapensis, at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada. Picture credit: Dr Dean Lomax.

Picture credit: Dr Dean Lomax

Collectively, the research team identified several unique features in Xiphodracon that have never been observed in any other ichthyosaur. The most peculiar (autapomorphy) is a strange and unique bone around the nostril (called a lacrimal) that has prong-like bony structures.

Dr Lomax added:

“One of the coolest things about identifying a new species is that you get to name it! We opted for Xiphodracon because of the long, sword-like snout (xipho from Greek xiphos for sword) and dracon (Greek and Latin for dragon) in reference to ichthyosaurs being referred to as ‘sea dragons’ for over two hundred years.”

There are plans to put this remarkable ichthyosaur specimen on display at the Royal Ontario Museum.

A close-up of the skull of the newly named sword dragon ichthyosaur, Xiphodracon goldencapensis. Picture credit: Dr Dean Lomax.

Picture credit: Dr Dean Lomax

“The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs”

October has been an exceptionally busy month for Dr Lomax.  In addition, to the publication of this new study he has recently published a new book.  Entitled “The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs” it highlights behaviours of long extinct prehistoric animals through a study of some of the most astonishing fossils ever found.

To learn more about this remarkable book, visit the publisher’s website: Columbia University Press and search for Dr Dean Lomax.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Manchester in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “A new long and narrow-snouted ichthyosaur illuminates a complex faunal turnover during an undersampled Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) interval” by Dean R. Lomax, Judy A. Massare and Erin E. Maxwell published in Papers in Palaeontology.

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Prehistoric Animal Figures.

A fossil discovery made on the Isle of Skye reveals clues to the origins of modern snakes and lizards.  The animal, named Breugnathair elgolensis, lived during the Bathonian stage of the Middle Jurassic.  The fragmentary and disarticulated fossils are approximately 167 million years old.  The scientific paper has been published in the journal “Nature”.

Breugnathair elgolensis life reconstruction. Picture credit: Brennan Stokkermans (National Museums of Scotland).

Picture credit: Brennan Stokkermans (National Museums of Scotland)

Meet Breugnathair elgolensis

This reptile had the proportions and limbs of a lizard.  However, its jaws, lined with highly recurved teeth, were similar to the jaws of extant pythons.  The fossil specimen represents one of the oldest and most complete Jurassic lizards discovered to date. It has been classified as a member of the Squamata order.  The squamates include lizards and snakes. The evolutionary origins of the Squamata remain open to debate.  Although, many palaeontologists consider that the first squamates evolved in the Early Jurassic around 190 million years ago.

The fossil was discovered near Elgol by Dr Stig Walsh (National Museums Scotland). This rare fossil is now part of the Museum’s vertebrate fossil collection.

Dr Stig Walsh with a cast of the Breugnathair elgolensis fossil. Picture credit: Duncan McGlynn.

Picture credit: Duncan McGlynn

The fossil material and others like it will help palaeontologists to better understand the evolution of snakes and lizards.  For example, are snakes are early off-shoot from the lizard lineage or did snake-like characteristics evolve more than once in the Squamata?

The “False Snake of Elgol”

The fossils are exposed on a single limestone slab. The material includes caudal vertebrae, limb bones, ribs as well as bones from the skull.  The scientific name is taken from Gaelic. It translates as “false snake of Elgol”.  It has been placed in a newly created family, the Parviraptoridae. Until now, parviraptorids were known only from fragmentary remains. Some scientists thought they might represent basal snakes. In contrast, other scientists have proposed that parviraptorids were ancestors of all snakes and lizards.

An illustration of Breugnathair elgolensis swallowing a mammaliaform. We suspect that the unfortunate victim is the mammaliaform Krusatodon kirtlingtonensis, fossils of which are also known from the Isle of Skye. Picture credit: Mick Ellison (American Museum of Natural History).

Picture credit: Mick Ellison (American Museum of Natural History)

The illustration (above) depicts a Breugnathair swallowing an early mammaliaform.  The artist could be suggesting that Breugnathair is feeding on a Krusatodon (K. kirtlingtonensis). There have been many remarkable fossil discoveries made on the Isle of Skye.  The exposed strata were laid down in the Middle Jurassic.  Fossiliferous deposits from this time in Earth’s history are rare.

An article about Krusatodon fossils from the Isle of Skye: Providing an Insight into Mammaliaform Ontogeny.

To read an article about a large pterosaur fossil discovered on the Isle of Skye (Dearc sgiathanach): Fantastic Pterosaur Fossil from the Isle of Skye.

A Window into Evolution

Breugnathair elgolensis fossil material reveals a mosaic of primitive and more derived features. This mosaic of advanced traits combined with more primitive characteristics is found in other parviraptorids. The path taken by evolution is unpredictable.

A close view of the cast of the Breugnathair elgolensis fossil. Picture credit: Duncan McGlynn.

Picture credit: Duncan McGlynn

Mike from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“The Isle of Skye is recognised as one of the world’s most important Middle Jurassic fossil locations. Other discoveries include Scotland’s most complete dinosaur, ancient synapsids, and even flying reptiles. Breugnathair demonstrates the diverse palaeoenvironment represented by these deposits.”

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from National Museums Scotland in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Mosaic anatomy in an early fossil squamate” by Roger B. J. Benson, Stig A. Walsh, Elizabeth F. Griffiths, Zoe T. Kulik, Jennifer Botha, Vincent Fernandez, Jason J. Head and Susan E. Evans published in the journal Nature.

The award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.