🔗 Share this article Fossil Discovered on British Shoreline Represents Unique 'Sword Dragon' Type Sea dragon experts with the 185 million year old skeleton An almost intact skeleton discovered along Dorset's Jurassic Coast has been classified as a previously unknown species of ichthyosaur, a type of prehistoric marine reptile that once ruled the oceans. This marine creature ichthyosaur has been designated Xiphodracon goldencapensis, or the "sword dragon of Dorset" and represents the only known example of its kind. This head of the "sword dragon" features a huge eye socket and indications that point to it may have been assaulted by another larger ichthyosaur Scientists report that indentations on its skull suggest the "blade serpent" may have been killed by a attack to the head, potentially delivered by a significantly bigger type of ichthyosaur. Initially found by a experienced fossil hunter at Golden Cap in Dorset in 2001, the recently identified ichthyosaur was later obtained by a institution in Canada. It has only recently been fully analyzed by experts and a research document published classifying it as a new species of ichthyosaur. "I carefully considered about the name," said ichthyosaur specialist Dr Dean Lomax, who co-authored the paper identifying the skeleton as a new species. "Xiphodracon translates to sword-like dragon and that refers to that very long, sword-like nose, but also the fact that ichthyosaurs have been referred to as sea dragons for about 200 years." Here is what ichthyosaurs may have looked like. The shown species is a shonisaurus which could grow to more than 15 metres long. Prehistoric Ocean Creatures Ichthyosaurs are classified as marine reptiles, not dinosaurs, because they lived entirely in the water. The discovered ichthyosaur is believed to have swum the seas about 185 million years ago, a time frame from which very few ichthyosaur fossils have been found. "In this period ichthyosaurs are incredibly rare, and Xiphodracon is the best preserved individual ever found from there, helping to fill a gap," Dr Lomax said. "This represents a crucial element of the puzzle in ichthyosaur evolution." Unique Characteristics The "sword dragon" is thought to have been about 3m long and has multiple features that have never been observed in other types of ichthyosaur. Scientists report the most unusual detail is a fork-shaped bone near its nostril The skull has an exceptionally large eye socket A long sword-like snout that it used to eat fish and squid Life and Death Evidence also exists as to how this specific specimen lived and died. "Its fins and dental structure are abnormally shaped in such a way that indicates serious injury or disease while the animal was still alive," said study co-author Dr Erin Maxwell. "Its head seems to have been bitten by a sizeable hunter - likely a different considerably bigger type of ichthyosaur - giving us a reason for demise for this individual. Life in the Mesozoic oceans was a risky situation." The discoverer uncovered the 'blade serpent' in cliffs at Golden Cap in Dorset after a severe weather event Finding and Study The specimen was found in 2001 by fossil hunter Chris Moore and then obtained by the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada where it took more than 15 years to be fully analyzed. "I don't wish to blow my own ichthyosaur trumpet but I have discovered a number of them," Mr Moore said. The actual number he's discovered is approximately 15, with multiple of them, including the "sword dragon", turning out to be new species. Mr Moore says he is planning to celebrate the recent finding but has not yet determined exactly how the celebration will take. "Champagne or a mug of tea, I'm undecided at this moment," he commented. This remarkable discovery is one of numerous ichthyosaur remains that have been discovered along Dorset's Jurassic Coast dating back to the initial findings of trailblazing palaeontologist Mary Anning in the early 1800s.