A new genus and species of armoured dinosaur has been named from fossils found in Japan. Nipponopelta yezoensis represents the first formally named Japanese ankylosaur. Furthermore, this discovery provides important information about the dispersal of nodosaurids during the Cretaceous Period.

The new dinosaur was named and described by an international team of palaeontologists. The research was published in the scientific journal Cretaceous Research, (the dinosaur’s name is pronounced Nip-pon-oh-pel-tah yea-zoe-en-sis).

Although only known from fragmentary fossil material, palaeontologists estimate that Nipponopelta was approximately 5 metres in length. Picture credit: Tim Bollinger (Total Dino) with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Tim Bollinger (Total Dino) with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur

Introducing Nipponopelta yezoensis

The fossils come from the upper part of the Hikagenosawa Formation of Hokkaido. These rocks date from the Late Cretaceous, specifically the late Cenomanian faunal stage. Therefore, Nipponopelta lived approximately 96 to 94 million years ago.

The genus name combines “Nippon”, referring to Japan, with the Greek word “pelta”, meaning shield. Therefore, Nipponopelta can be translated as “Japanese shield”. The species name “yezoensis” refers to Yezo (Ezo), an old name associated with Hokkaido prefecture. Nipponopelta yezoensis has been classified as a nodosaurid. Nodosaurids were heavily armoured, quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaurs. However, they did not possess a large bony tail club.

There have been several new dinosaur taxa named from fossil discoveries in Japan. For example, in 2023 we wrote about a deinocheirid dinosaur from the famous Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry (Fukui prefecture).

To read more about this discovery: Tyrannomimus – A Deinocheirid Dinosaur from Japan.

A Partial Ankylosaur Skull from Hokkaido

The fossil material includes a partial skull, a cervical vertebra and several teeth. The fossils were found inside a concretion. Scientists had previously recognised the specimen as representing a nodosaurid. However, its precise taxonomic status remained unresolved. Researchers have now used three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) to examine the specimen in greater detail. Consequently, structures hidden inside the rock could be studied without damaging the fossil.

The scans revealed previously inaccessible anatomical features. These included parts of the lower jaw, two complete teeth and the left inner ear.

Importantly, researchers also identified a unique combination of characteristics in the back of the skull. These anatomical features helped justify the erection of the new genus and species.

A scale drawing showing the newly described ankylosaur Nipponopelta. Picture credit: Tim Bollinger (Total Dino).

Picture credit: Tim Bollinger (Total Dino)

To visit the extremely informative website of Tim Bollinger: Total Dino Website.

Links with North American Nodosaurids

The evolutionary relationships of Nipponopelta yezoensis produced some intriguing results. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that this Japanese dinosaur was not closely related to other known Asian nodosaurids. Instead, it was nested among more derived nodosaurids known from North America and Europe.

For example, its relatives include Pawpawsaurus, Panoplosaurus, Edmontonia and Denversaurus, all of which are known from North America. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that this taxon is more closely related to North American nodosaurids than Asian taxa. Therefore, this ancestral geographic analysis suggests that N. yezoensis and its close relatives originated in Laramidia, Appalachia, and Asia, indicating a wide ancestral area.

• Pawpawsaurus – Late Cretaceous (Albian faunal stage) of the USA (Texas).
• Denversaurus – Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian faunal stage) of western North America.
• Panoplosaurus – Late Cretaceous (Campanian faunal stage) of Canada.
• Edmontonia – Late Cretaceous (Campanian faunal stage) of western North America.

Subsequently, Nipponopelta provides valuable evidence about the geographical distribution of armoured dinosaurs.

A Coastal Armoured Dinosaur

The scientists also examined the environments preferred by different ankylosaurs. Interestingly, nodosaurid fossils occur relatively frequently in rocks deposited under marine influence. Several studies have therefore suggested links between nodosaurids and coastal or estuarine habitats. The researchers concluded that Nipponopelta yezoensis probably inhabited a marine-influenced environment. However, this does not mean that this dinosaur was aquatic. Instead, it probably lived on land close to the coast or around estuaries.

Furthermore, a preference for coastal or estuarine environments may have played a significant role in its dispersal patterns across different regions.

Mike from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“The description of Nipponopelta yezoensis represents an important addition to Japan’s remarkable dinosaur record. Moreover, its unexpected relationship with North American and European nodosaurids provides new evidence about how these armoured dinosaurs dispersed during the Cretaceous. It demonstrates how modern scanning technology can reveal important anatomical information from fossils that have been known about for decades.”

For armoured dinosaur models and other prehistoric animal figures: Armoured Dinosaur Figures and Prehistoric Animals.

The description of Nipponopelta yezoensis highlights the importance of re-examining previously discovered fossils. New technologies can reveal details that earlier researchers could not study.

As a result, an enigmatic Japanese fossil has helped scientists explore the global history of the Nodosauridae.

The scientific paper: “A new nodosaurid ankylosaur (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Upper Cretaceous Hikagenosawa Formation in Japan reveals dispersal pattern of Asian nodosaurid ankylosaurs” by Shumpei Oyabu, Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, Darla K. Zelenitsky, Anthony R. Fiorillo, Manabu Kano published in Cretaceous Research.

A remarkable Roundhay Park coelacanth fossil has been discovered in Leeds. The fossil is around 320 million years old. It dates from the Carboniferous. Furthermore, experts believe it represents the oldest fossil coelacanth yet found in Yorkshire. Geologist Ru Smith of the Yorkshire Geological Society made the discovery earlier this year. He found a well-preserved skull bone during a reconnaissance walk in Roundhay Park.

Smith was preparing for a planned geological field excursion when he spotted the unusual fossil.

The important specimen has now been donated to Leeds Museums and Galleries. It will form part of the extensive natural sciences collection housed at Leeds Discovery Centre.

A close view of the skull of a Carboniferous coelacanth fossil discovered in Roundhay Park (Leeds). Picture credit: Leeds City Council.

Picture credit: Leeds City Council

A Stunning Roundhay Park Coelacanth Fossil

The fossil dates from the Carboniferous Period (early Pennsylvanian sub-period), approximately 320 million years ago. At that time, the geography and climate of Britain looked very different.

Roundhay Park lay close to the Equator. Moreover, warm tropical waters covered the area.

Ru Smith explained:

“There’s a layer of rock in the park which dates from around 320 million years ago, from a time before the breakup of the continents, when what is now the park would have been situated close the Equator and under the warm waters of a tropical lagoon. West Central Africa would be a good place to find similar environments in the present.”

He added:

“There’s a bed of freshwater mussels called Carbonicola at one level in the rock, and opening a piece of shale from this bed in my hands I saw something unusual – a distinctive skull bone of a large fish. I knew straight away this was something different and very rare.”

Other experts subsequently examined the fossil and confirmed its identity. The skull bone belonged to a coelacanth. Significantly, the fossil predates other coelacanth specimens discovered elsewhere in Yorkshire.

Carboniferous Yorkshire

The Roundhay Park coelacanth fossil provides another glimpse into Yorkshire’s distant past. During the Carboniferous, the continents were gradually assembling into the immense supercontinent Pangaea. Extensive tropical environments existed around the Equator. Fish flourished in the waterways. Sharks and numerous other aquatic animals also inhabited Carboniferous ecosystems.

Meanwhile, vastly different animals lived on land. Early tetrapods shared their environments with a remarkable diversity of arthropods. Higher atmospheric oxygen levels during parts of the Carboniferous helped some arthropods attain impressive sizes.

Ru Smith commented:

“Coelacanths are pretty amazing fish and it’s just very cool to think that at one time, you could have been standing in Leeds and watching them swim around above a bed of mussels in Roundhay Park. That’s really the wonder of geology, looking at the rock and time travelling in the imagination to what was a very different world.”

Ru Smith (right) from the Yorkshire Geological Society handing the rare fossil to Clare Brown, Leeds Museums and Galleries’ curator of natural sciences (left). Picture credit: Leeds City Council.

Picture credit: Leeds City Council

Coelacanths – “Living Fossils”

Coelacanths have a particularly fascinating evolutionary history. They belong to the Sarcopterygii, the lobe-finned fishes. Scientists knew coelacanths from an extensive fossil record. However, for many years researchers thought the group had become extinct during the Late Cretaceous. That assumption changed dramatically in 1938.

A living coelacanth was discovered among the catch of fishermen off the eastern coast of South Africa. Museum curator Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer recognised the unusual fish after seeing the specimen. The discovery caused an international scientific sensation.

Living coelacanths belong to the genus Latimeria. Two extant species are currently recognised, one associated with the western Indian Ocean and another from Indonesia.

The term “living fossil” is often applied to coelacanths. This description can be misleading. However, extant coelacanths closely resemble fossils of coelacanths.

Expedition to study coelacanths: Scientists in Search of Elusive Coelacanths.

A model of a coelacanth.

The image (above) shows a model of a coelacanth.  This is the Wild Safari Prehistoric World coelacanth figure.

To view the Wild Safari Prehistoric World model range: Wild Safari Prehistoric World Figures.

An Important Addition to a Museum Collection

The newly discovered fossil joins several important prehistoric fish specimens held at Leeds Discovery Centre. For example, the collection contains an exceptional specimen of the large Carboniferous fish Megalichthys. It was discovered near Leeds in 1883. In addition, the collection contains fossils from geologically much younger marine reptiles. These include ichthyosaurs and long-necked plesiosaurs from the Jurassic.

Clare Brown, Leeds Museums and Galleries’ curator of natural sciences, welcomed the donation exclaiming:

“This is a remarkable find and we’re extremely grateful to Ru for donating his discovery to our collection. Responsible and ethical fossil hunting and geology can yield some incredible results and really help us to build a picture of life in prehistoric Leeds and the history that’s resting beneath our feet no matter where we may be. We’re always keen to work with local organisations and would encourage anyone interested to join a group.”

The precise location where the fossil was discovered has not been disclosed. This decision will help protect the geology and parkland.

Furthermore, it helps ensure that geological fieldwork takes place responsibly.

Protecting and Preserving Britain’s Fossil Heritage

The discovery demonstrates the important contribution made by experienced amateur and professional geologists. Careful fieldwork can reveal scientifically significant fossils, even in familiar urban landscapes.

Mike from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“This discovery highlights the remarkable geology that can be found beneath our towns and cities. A fossil fish from Roundhay Park helps us imagine Leeds 320 million years ago, when this landscape formed part of an extremely different world. We congratulate Ru Smith on this important discovery and commend the decision to donate the specimen to Leeds Museums and Galleries. It can now be conserved, studied and enjoyed by future generations.”

Everything Dinosaur receives a rare Coelacanth fossil specimen: An Amazing Coelacanth Specimen.

The fossil will be preserved alongside thousands of other natural history specimens at Leeds Discovery Centre. The facility supports exhibitions, education and scientific research. In addition, members of the public can see its collections through pre-booked tours.

The Roundhay Park coelacanth fossil might consist of just part of a skull. Nevertheless, this small piece of bone tells an extraordinary story. Around 320 million years ago, a coelacanth swam through tropical waters where the city of Leeds stands today.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of Leeds Museums and Galleries in the compilation of this article.

Scientists have described a new species of Jurassic ichthyosaur from southern Germany. The new species named Jabalisaurus tethyensis, lived around 149 million years ago during the Late Jurassic (Tithonian faunal stage). Remarkably, some fossils assigned to Jabalisaurus tethyensis had previously been classified as Aegirosaurus. The research highlights the hidden diversity of ichthyosaurs in the famous German Plattenkalk deposits.

The scientific paper (open access) has been published in the journal “Palaeontologia Electronica”.

A life reconstruction of a Late Jurassic ophthalmosaurian ichthyosaur. Note the presence of a rhamphorhynchid pterosaur in the distance. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Revision of Late Jurassic Ichthyosaurs

Ichthyosaurs were highly specialised, superbly adapted marine reptiles. They first appeared during the Early Triassic and survived into the early Late Cretaceous.  It had been thought that ichthyosaur diversity was greatest during the first ten million years of their evolution. Such diversity was initiated by radiation to diverse marine habitats and the development of a range of dietary niches. However, in contrast to this view, there has been an increasingly amount of evidence presented indicating the Tithonian as another high point in ichthyosaur diversity.

Southern Germany has produced many spectacular Late Jurassic fossils. These include fishes, turtles, marine reptiles, dinosaurs and early birds such as Archaeopteryx. However, ichthyosaur fossils are relatively rare.

Ichthyosaur fossils from the Bavarian Plattenkalk deposits of southern Germany were first described during the 1850s. Numerous taxa were erected. Unfortunately, none of the original fossil material is still available for study. Hence, only a single genus has been documented from these rocks – Aegirosaurus leptospondylus. In addition, the number of ichthyosaurs assigned to the Ophthalmosauridae family has dramatically increased. There are now more than twenty genera of ophthalmosaurian ichthyosaurs known. As a result of the increased data set, fossils previously assigned to the ophthalmosaur A. leptospondylus under phylogenetic analysis no longer match these new score characteristics. Therefore, the authors of this study re-assign most of the referred A. leptospondylus material to a new species in the Jabalisaurus genus (Jabalisaurus tethyensis).

The researchers conclude that there are at least two ichthyosaur genera present in these German deposits.

Introducing Jabalisaurus tethyensis

Jabalisaurus tethyensis was a medium-sized ophthalmosaurian ichthyosaur. Members of the genus are estimated to have reached between two and just over three metres in length. The German species probably reached around 2–2.9 metres long. It had a slender skull, large eyes and numerous finely ridged teeth. These adaptations indicate that it probably hunted relatively small prey. The species name tethyensis refers to its distribution along the northern shelf of the ancient Tethys Ocean.

The holotype is specimen SNSB-BSPG 1954 I 608. It represents a small, immature animal from the Altmühltal Formation of Bavaria. This specimen had previously been assigned to Aegirosaurus leptospondylus. However, the new analysis revealed important anatomical differences. Consequently, the researchers removed several fossils from Aegirosaurus and reassigned them to Jabalisaurus tethyensis.

A Familiar Fossil Gets a New Identity

One of the referred specimens is particularly significant. Specimen number JME-SOS-08369 is an articulated ichthyosaur measuring approximately 1.84 metres long. It comes from the Lower Tithonian deposits of Blumenberg, near Eichstätt in Bavaria. Furthermore, the specimen preserves an extraordinary soft-tissue outline.

Everything Dinosaur previously wrote about this fossil in 2022. At the time, researchers referred JME-SOS-08369 to Aegirosaurus sp. The earlier study examined the exceptional soft-tissue preservation associated with this specimen. It also investigated a separate ichthyosaur tail from the Solnhofen deposits.

Scientists identified a yellowish amorphous substance associated with the fossils. Their analyses suggested that this material represented adipocere. Adipocere can form from fatty tissues during decomposition. Therefore, the researchers proposed that these ichthyosaurs possessed a layer of insulating blubber.

To read Everything Dinosaur’s article about this research: Ichthyosaurs Had Blubber According to New Research.

JME-SOS-08369 has now provided scientists with further information. Its anatomy helped the researchers reassess the diversity of Late Jurassic German ichthyosaurs. The fossil also preserves a remarkably complete body outline. The researchers describe this exceptional preservation as essentially “mummified”.

A line drawing of the preserved skull of Jabalisaurus tethyensis (specimen number JME-SOS-08369). Picture credit: Delsett et al with additional notation by Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Delsett et al with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur.

What Did Jabalisaurus tethyensis Eat?

The new research also provides information about the animal’s ecology. Its slender jaws and teeth suggest Jabalisaurus tethyensis (pronounced Hah-bal-ee-sore-us teh-fie-en-sis), was probably a pursuit predator. It likely hunted small bony fishes in the tropical waters surrounding the Late Jurassic islands of southern Germany. At that time, this region consisted of shallow tropical seas dotted with islands, reefs and protected lagoons. Fine carbonate sediments accumulated in relatively quiet inter-reef basins.

These conditions created the exceptional fossil deposits for which southern Germany is famous today.

The Germany/Mexico Connection

The identification of Jabalisaurus in Germany has wider palaeobiogeographical implications. Until this study, the Jabalisaurus genus was known only from Mexico. Jabalisaurus meztli was described in 2021 from Late Jurassic deposits associated with the ancient Gulf of Mexico (Barrientos-Lara and Alvarado-Ortega).

Finding a closely related species in Germany substantially extends the known geographical range of the genus. Furthermore, this discovery challenges the idea that Late Jurassic ichthyosaurs from the proto-Caribbean were strongly endemic. Instead, similar ichthyosaurs may have inhabited warm waters extending across the Tethys and into the proto-Caribbean.

The researchers propose the existence of a distinctive Peri-Tethyan ichthyosaur fauna. This fauna differed from ichthyosaurs living in more temperate and polar waters. Therefore, climate rather than geographical isolation may have strongly influenced Late Jurassic ichthyosaur distribution.

Museum Fossils Continue to Reveal Secrets

The description of Jabalisaurus tethyensis also demonstrates the importance of re-examining museum specimens. Some fossils included in the study have been known for decades. Nevertheless, new comparisons and modern phylogenetic analyses have changed their interpretation. The discovery effectively doubles the recognised ichthyosaur generic diversity of the German Plattenkalk deposits.

Furthermore, JME-SOS-08369 has now contributed to two important areas of ichthyosaur research. First, its exceptional preservation provided evidence concerning ichthyosaur soft tissues. Now, its anatomy has helped scientists recognise a previously overlooked species. The fossil record does not always require new fossils to produce new discoveries. Sometimes, important discoveries are already sitting in museum collections waiting to be re-examined.

The scientific paper: “Late Jurassic ichthyosaurs from southern Germany” by Erin E. Maxwell, Jule Neumann and Giovanni Serafini published in Palaeontologia Electronica.

For models of ichthyosaurs and other prehistoric animals: Marine Reptiles and Other Prehistoric Animal Models.

Researchers have identified tiny fossils from the Shuijingtuo Formation (Cambrian Stage 3) of South China that could transform our understanding of cephalopod evolution. The newly described species, Eoceras shaanxiense, provides the oldest known evidence of a primordial siphuncle, a crucial anatomical feature that enabled cephalopods to regulate buoyancy and eventually become some of the oceans’ most successful predators.

Measuring only a few millimetres in length, Eoceras shaanxiense possessed a straight (orthoconic) shell divided into a series of chambers. Researchers also identified a segmented tube running through these chambers. This structure is interpreted as an early form of the siphuncle seen in later cephalopods such as nautiloids and ammonites.

Eoceras shaanxiense life reconstruction. The earliest evidence of a siphuncle structure within a cephalopod. The siphuncle enables cephalopods to become active swimmers (nektonic) and helped establish a predatory habit through long-term regulation of the animal’s buoyancy. Picture credit: Dinghua Yang.

Picture credit: Dinghua Yang

The Significance of Eoceras shaanxiense

The siphuncle is one of the defining characteristics of the Cephalopoda. Cephalopods are members of the Mollusca phylum and include extant animals such as squid, octopi, nautiloids and cuttlefish.

CollectA Nautilus pompilius sometimes referred to as the “Emperor nautilus” because of its large size.  This is a model of an extant nautiloid.

The image (above) shows a replica of an extant cephalopod (Nautilus pompilius). This model is part of a series of invertebrate figures created by CollectA.

To view the CollectA model range: CollectA Invertebrate Models.

Extinct cephalopods include the extremely diverse ammonites and the belemnites which play important roles in the relative dating of rocks.  The siphuncle links the shell chambers. It allows gas and fluid to be regulated, enabling the animal to control its buoyancy. Combined with jet propulsion, this remarkable adaptation helped cephalopods leave the sea floor and adopt an active swimming lifestyle (nektonic). Until now, the evolutionary origin of this important feature had remained a mystery because of a substantial gap in the fossil record between molecular evidence and the earliest accepted cephalopod fossils. The discovery of Eoceras shaanxiense helps close that gap.

Magnified images showing Eoceras fossil material used in the study. Note scale bar equals 2 mm. The fossils are approximately 520 million years old. Picture credit: Song Zuchen and Jakob Vinther.

Picture credit: Song Zuchen and Jakob Vinther

Documenting an Early Stage in the Evolution of a Chambered Shell

The research team concluded that the fossil documents an early stage in the evolution of the chambered shell, known as the phragmocone. As the animal grew, it formed new chambers while maintaining a connection with older ones through the segmented tube. This evolutionary innovation laid the foundations for the extraordinary success of cephalopods over the next 500 million years.

Commenting on the discovery, Mike from Everything Dinosaur said:

“Even the smallest fossils can have an enormous scientific impact. Eoceras shaanxiense provides an exciting glimpse into how one of nature’s most sophisticated marine adaptations first evolved.”

This important fossil demonstrates that the evolutionary history of cephalopods began earlier than previously recognised. Furthermore, it provides valuable new evidence explaining how these iconic marine invertebrates developed the buoyancy-control system that helped them dominate ancient seas for hundreds of millions of years.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of one of the study’s authors in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Earliest siphuncle-bearing cephalopod from the early Cambrian” by Zuchen Song, Bing Pan, Junfeng Guo, Jakob Vinther, Guoxiang Li, Jian Han, Heyo Van Iten, Xiaofang Zhao, Xianzhi Pei, Jiaxin Peng, Yaqin Qiang, Boyao Zhang and Hanjie Wen published in the journal Nature.

A new species of duck-billed dinosaur has been named.  It is a lambeosaurine and it has been named Plesiolophus warnerensis.  The researchers, writing in the “Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences”, conclude that at present it cannot be excluded as a potential ancestor to the iconic Parasaurolophus.

The discovery of Plesiolophus warnerensis is helping palaeontologists to better understand the early evolution of some of the most recognisable duck-billed dinosaurs. Researchers have described this newly named hadrosaur from southern Alberta, and it could represent one of the earliest known members of the lineage that eventually gave rise to the famous crested dinosaur Parasaurolophus.

The fossils were excavated from the Oldman Formation (Campanian) of Alberta, Canada. Although lambeosaurine hadrosaurs are abundant in the younger Dinosaur Park Formation, they are much rarer in the underlying Oldman Formation. As a result, Plesiolophus warnerensis provides valuable new information about an important stage in hadrosaur evolution.

The partial skull roof and braincase of the newly described lambeosaurine Plesiolophus warnerensis. This holotype fossil is specimen number TMP 2016.023.0039. Picture credit: McFeeters et al.

Picture credit: McFeeters et al

The partial skull fossil was discovered by renowned fossil hunter Wendy Sloboda. Such is her reputation for finding fossils, Wendy has been invited to join field teams searching for dinosaur remains in Mongolia, Greenland, France and Argentina. She was honoured in 2015 with the naming of the centrosaurine Wendiceratops.

To read about the discovery and naming of Wendiceratops: Wendiceratops from Southern Alberta.

Part of the Skull Roof and Braincase

The fossil material consists of part of the skull roof and braincase from an adult animal. Despite being incomplete, the specimen preserves several distinctive anatomical features. These characteristics enabled the research team to identify it as a new genus and species. Furthermore, the skull exhibits features that firmly place Plesiolophus within the Parasaurolophini, the group that includes Parasaurolophus.

Interestingly, the skull also retains several ancestral features that had disappeared in later relatives. This unique combination of primitive and more advanced characteristics makes Plesiolophus warnerensis particularly significant. It provides a rare glimpse into an evolutionary transition that eventually led to the spectacular cranial crests seen in later lambeosaurine dinosaurs.

PNSO Wyatt the Parasaurolophus dinosaur model in lateral view, a stunning replica of a Late Cretaceous duck-billed dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The image (above) shows a model of the iconic crested dinosaur Parasaurolophus. This Late Cretaceous, herbivorous dinosaur with its long head crest is one of the most recognisable of all the Dinosauria.  The Parasaurolophus model comes from the popular PNSO model range.

To view the extensive range of PNSO models and figures: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Models.

Plesiolophus warnerensis

To investigate its evolutionary relationships, the scientists compared Plesiolophus warnerensis with eighty-seven other dinosaur species. Their phylogenetic analysis consistently recovered the new taxon as one of the earliest members of the North American Parasaurolophini lineage.

The researchers noted that this newly described hadrosaur does not possess many unique features found only in this species. Consequently, they cannot rule out the possibility that it was close to the ancestry of Parasaurolophus, fossils of which occur in the younger Dinosaur Park Formation. While the available evidence does not allow the researchers to identify it as a direct ancestor, the discovery highlights an important chapter in the evolution of these remarkable duck-billed dinosaurs.

Commenting on the research, Mike from Everything Dinosaur explained:

“Discoveries such as Plesiolophus warnerensis help fill important gaps in the fossil record. Every new fossil provides another piece of the evolutionary puzzle, allowing scientists to build a clearer picture of how iconic dinosaurs such as Parasaurolophus evolved over millions of years.”

The discovery of Plesiolophus warnerensis also provides new insights into dinosaur communities that lived in Laramidia around 77 million years ago. As additional fossils are found, palaeontologists will continue to refine their understanding of how lambeosaurine dinosaurs diversified and evolved during the Late Cretaceous.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of Dr Bradley McFeeters who supplied the image of the dinosaur braincase included in this article.

The scientific paper: “A new parasaurolophin dinosaur (Hadrosauridae: Lambeosaurinae) from the Oldman Formation of southern Alberta” by Bradley D. McFeeters, David C. Evans, Michael J. Ryan, and Hillary C. Maddin published in the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences.

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

An extraordinary fossil from Queensland, Australia has provided evidence of a prehistoric food chain. Scientists have identified the first definitive evidence that an ichthyosaur consumed a pterosaur. Furthermore, the marine reptile later became prey for one of the largest predators in the ancient Eromanga Sea.

The spectacular fossil comes from the Lower Cretaceous Toolebuc Formation of Queensland. It provides an exceptionally rare glimpse into predator-prey relationships that occurred more than 100 million years ago. The research has been published in the journal “Gondwana Research”.

A life reconstruction showing the ichthyosaur with a pterosaur in its jaws with a Kronosaurus attacking from below. Picture credit: Peter Trusler.

Peter credit: Peter Trusler

An Ichthyosaur with an Extraordinary Tale to Tell

The specimen represents an adult Platypterygius australis. This ichthyosaur measured around six to seven metres in length. Although ichthyosaurs are often compared to modern dolphins because of their streamlined bodies, they were reptiles and not mammals. Their similarity to cetaceans is an example of convergent evolution.

Scientists recovered the fossil from the famous marine deposits near Richmond (Queensland). Nicknamed “B.O.B.” (Bag of Bones), the fossil was first discovered by amateur fossil hunters during a public fossicking trip in 2019. Later excavations uncovered much more of the skeleton, and museum staff invested hundreds of hours preparing the remarkable specimen.

The ichthyosaur specimen block in situ. Picture credit: White et al.

Picture credit: White et al

Examining the Gut Contents

The real surprise came from several unusual rock concretions preserved immediately behind the skull. Rather than breaking them open, researchers used neutron tomography to examine their contents without damaging the fossils. This advanced imaging technique revealed fragments of fish, cephalopods and two pterosaur bones, including part of a lower jaw.

Careful comparisons showed that the jaw belonged to a member of the Ornithocheiroidae, a group of large flying reptiles. This represents the first definitive fossil evidence that an ichthyosaur had eaten a pterosaur or at least part of one.

Dietary insights from a dismembered Platypterygius from the Lower Cretaceous of Queensland. Picture credit: White et al.

Picture credit: White et al

The Ichthyosaur Predator Becomes Prey

However, the story did not end there.

The ichthyosaur’s skeleton preserves numerous massive bite marks. Several vertebrae are crushed or split apart, while other bones show signs of powerful jaw action. Some damaged vertebrae even have missing sections, suggesting that the carcass was actively processed rather than simply bitten.

Based on the size and spacing of the bite marks, the researchers conclude that the giant pliosaur Kronosaurus queenslandicus was almost certainly responsible. At around ten metres in length, Kronosaurus was one of the largest marine predators living in Australia’s inland sea during the Early Cretaceous.  It was an apex predator.

An Ichthyosaur Ate a Pterosaur Then Became a Meal For a Larger Marine Reptile

Fossils usually tell palaeontologists what extinct animals looked like. Direct evidence of behaviour is much harder to find in the fossil record.

However, this amazing marine reptile specimen preserves evidence of a sequence of ecological interactions:

1. Ornithocheiroidae pterosaur.
2. Platypterygius australis consumed the pterosaur.
3. Subsequently the ichthyosaur was predated upon by a much larger animal (Kronosaurus queenslandicus).

In other words, the flying reptile became food for the ichthyosaur. Subsequently, the ichthyosaur itself became food for a giant pliosaur (most likely). Therefore, this fossil provides one of the clearest examples yet discovered of a three-tier marine food web from the Mesozoic.

Co-author of the paper Kevin Petersen (Kronosaurus Korner) stands next to the cut slabs containing the ichthyosaur fossil. Picture credit: White et al.

Picture credit: White et al

Rare Evidence of Ancient Behaviour and Interactions

Commenting on the discovery, Dr Dean Lomax, a world-renowned expert on the Ichthyosauria and a chum of Everything Dinosaur explained that fossils preserving behaviour are exceptionally uncommon.

Dr Lomax added:

“It’s one of the clearest examples ever discovered of a three-tier predator interaction and offers an unprecedented snapshot of behaviour in Australia’s Cretaceous seas. This extraordinary fossil records a trophic interaction between a pterosaur eaten by an ichthyosaur that was then partly consumed by a giant pliosaur. It gives us direct evidence of behaviour in the Eromanga Sea.”

Platypterygius skull in situ. Picture credit: White et al.

Picture credit: White et al

Ichthyosaur Ate a Pterosaur

During the Early Cretaceous, much of inland Queensland lay beneath the vast Eromanga Sea. This warm inland sea supported sharks, turtles, marine reptiles and numerous other predators. The new discovery shows that these ancient ecosystems were far more complex than scientists once appreciated. Instead of simple predator-prey relationships, the fossil captures a dynamic food web in which even successful hunters could quickly become victims themselves. In this instance, an ichthyosaur ate a pterosaur only for a larger animal to attack and partially consume the marine reptile.

In addition, the discovery highlights the scientific importance of public fossil collecting sites. Thanks to the curiosity of four fossil enthusiasts, one of Australia’s most significant marine reptile discoveries has provided a unique insight into life beneath the Cretaceous seas.  Indeed, the preserved gut contents of the P. australis specimen indicate that this ichthyosaur consumed fish, cephalopods and ate two pterosaur bones, including a fragment of jaw.

Dr Peter Trusler produced scientific artwork for the paper, updating depictions of Kronosaurus skull proportions and illustrating the ichthyosaur and pterosaur interaction. The prepared specimen (nicknamed “B.O.B.” – after the Bag of Bones epithet) is curated at Kronosaurus Korner Museum.

A Remarkable Snapshot of Prehistoric Marine Life

This exceptional fossil preserves far more than the skeleton of a marine reptile. It captures a sequence of events that unfolded over 100 million years ago and provides direct evidence of feeding behaviour that had never been documented before.

As imaging technology continues to improve, palaeontologists are uncovering increasingly detailed evidence of how extinct animals interacted with one another. Fossils such as this demonstrate that prehistoric ecosystems were every bit as complex as those found in today’s oceans.

Dr Matt White, Research Associate at the University of New England and lead author of the study and a self-funded palaeontologist said the fossil was unlike anything the team had seen before.

He stated:

“I was amazed by the size of the ichthyosaur, and shocked to see it littered with bite marks and partially exposed pterosaur remains behind the skull. The vertebrae were split; ribs were missing and numerous bones displayed large crushing bite marks. One vertebra even preserved a rib jammed against a broken margin, strongly suggesting forceful jaw processing rather than simple post-mortem damage. This discovery enriches our understanding of these ancient marine reptiles and illustrates the complex interactions that shaped their prehistoric aquatic environment. The public fossicking areas near Richmond have yielded thousands of fossils over the years, including dinosaurs, birds, turtles, polycotylid plesiosaurs, pliosaurs, pterosaurs and other marine reptiles.”

Highlighting the Fossil Evidence

The scientific paper documenting an ichthyosaur ate a pterosaur includes a series of helpful graphics that explains how the researchers identified the food web evidence.  For example, three-dimensional mesh images highlight the location of damaged ichthyosaur bones and provide images of the pterosaur dentary.

Three-dimensional mesh images of KK F1435 with bite marks and stomach content. (a) Near-complete skull; (b) Stomach content block; (c) articulated autopodium; (d) Basiosphenoid, seven dorsal vertebrae, an isolated neural spine, five partial ribs, left scapula, humerus, and ten isolated digits; (e) Two complete dorsal vertebral centra (one with articulated neural spine) and five partial dorsal vertebral centra that preserve bite marks (v1 and v3), one vertebral centra is shattered; (f) One complete dorsal vertebra, possibly six other shattered dorsal vertebrae along with portions of their neural spines, and one split vertebrae with a rib deformed against the fractured edge (v2); (g) Semi-articulated pre-flexural caudal vertebrae primarily consisting of mostly of pre-flexural vertebrae and a few scattered post-flexural vertebrae; (h) Silhouettes of the approximate in situ position of each block. Abbreviations: b, basisphenoid; f, femur; h, humerus, ip, ischiopubis; n, neural spine; p, phalanx; r, rib; s, scapula, sc stomach content; v1-v3 dorsal vertebral centra with tooth marks. Picture credit: White et al.

Picture credit: White et al

Improving Understanding of Cretaceous Marine Food Webs

As research continues and methodologies advance, each fossil discovery, like this Platypterygius australis, has the potential to reveal more intricate patterns and provide glimpses into the complex food webs that existed beneath the waves during a pivotal time in Earth’s history.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a Dinosaur Experiences Australia media release in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Beneath the waves: “Extraordinary dietary insights from a dismembered ichthyosaur from the lower Cretaceous” by Matt Andrew White, Joseph John Bevitt, Mackenzie Jordan Enchelmaier, Kevin William Petersen and Peter William Trusler published in Gondwana Research.

The award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Models of Marine Reptiles and Other Prehistoric Animals.