Rare, Ancient Sea Dragon Found with 6 Babies in Her Stomach
Paleontologists have uncovered ancient reptile fossils containing 6 to 8 embryos in their stomachs. The fossil was finally the attraction of the visitors of the Yorkshire Jurassic World exhibition.
The ancient reptile fossils of the Ichthyosaurus began to be collected by researchers in 2010 in Whitby, North Yorkshire, England. Then, the fossil was kept by a collector named Martin Rigby, before finally submitted to the Museum of Yorkshire, York.
At that time, Rigby had told Mike Boyd and Dean Lomax, two paleontologists from the University of Manchester, that the ancient fish was probably pregnant at death. After investigation, Dean confirmed Rigby's suspicions.
From the fossil specimens in the form of small stones and have been cut in half, the researchers looked at several large ribs, as in adults, and several spinal strands and various small bones.
We consider the possibility that the small remains are the contents of the stomach, though it seems highly unlikely that Ichthyosaurus would ingest six to eight of his aborted or newborn babies.
He continued, and this does not seem so, because the embryo does not show the erosion of stomach acid. In addition, the embryo is not accompanied by the entrails normally seen in Ichthyosaurus from the early Jurassic period, such as the rest of Belemnitida, a squid-like animal.
Ichthyosaurus is a type of water reptile that dominates in the Jura period. They are carnivores that prey on other reptiles, fish, and invertebrate marine animals such as Belemnitida squid.
These animals breed in the ocean and give birth to their babies instead of laying on land like other reptiles.
Ichthyosaurus fossils are widely found in England, especially in the Jura rocks. However, only five fossils of Ichthyosaurus were found in the pregnant state.
The five fossils are all found by researchers in the south to the north of England and the average age of 190-200 million years.
The fossils studied by Dean and Boyd are the first Ichthyosaur fossils to be found in Yorkshire. He also has the most embryos in his stomach compared to his previous findings in England.
According to the researchers, the Ichthyosaurus fossil from Yorkshire is also one of the youngest fossils of the Ichthyosaurus species from England.
Sarah King, curator of natural sciences at the Yorkshire Museum, said the discovery was remarkable. Dean and Mike have helped us confirm it as the first example of the Ichthyosaur fossil with an embryo found in Yorkshire.
Its appearance during the Yorkshire Jurassic World event incorporates the latest digital technology to reveal the embryo and explain the importance of the discovery.