Detection of 180 million year old sea monster fossils

An international team of scientists has discovered a special specimen that is believed to be a reptile that lived 180 million years ago. Information is published in the journal Nature.

According to Johan Lindgren, senior lecturer at Lund University in Sweden, this sea creature may be an ancient reptile named Ichthyosaur (also known as dragonfish) that appeared in the Triassic period.

Fossils of marine species 'monsters' date back to 180 million years ago.

"It looks like a dolphin, but the caudal fin, it's upright and not horizontal. It can be determined to be a reptile and a warm-blooded species ," Johan Lindgren said.

Lindgren said that until now, researchers have not been able to determine the exact age or gender of the newly discovered fossil.

However, according to the analytical images, the researchers found a special thing that the pigment cells concentrate on the back of the organism. This animal has a dark surface and a bright belly.

This is considered a common form of camouflage in nature that can be encountered even in modern terrestrial and marine animals.

Co-author Mary Schweitzer, Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina (USA), said studying this fossil could help explain 'biodiversity' and 'what makes animals thrive'. on Earth since ancient times.

Schweitzer said: 'We cannot predict the future of the planet without understanding the past. Understanding how animals in their past environments help clarify how they can adapt to the habitat on the planet '.