Scientists Unearth the Largest Ichthyosaur in History: A 20-Meter Marine Reptile from the Triassic Period

Scientists have discovered the largest marine reptile in history, according to BBC and National Geographic. This creature was over 20 meters long and lived almost 202 million years ago at the end of the Triassic period, also known as the age of dinosaurs. The fossils were found on a beach in Somerset, UK, by a father and daughter in 2020, and a jawbone was discovered by a fossil hunter in 2016.

Researchers believe that this giant fish lizard was about 25 meters long, which is around the size of a blue whale. However, more evidence is needed to confirm its size, such as its entire skeleton and skull. Dean Lomax from the University of Bristol says that no previous giant fish-lizard fossils have been as large as this extinct species. These fish lizards were top predators of their time, similar to killer whales today.

The new fossils are from the very late Triassic period, which is known to be a black box for Ichthyosaurian fossil series. Neil Kelley, another paleontologist, explains that all previous giant fish-lizard fossils have been found in older rocks in Asia and North America. This discovery suggests that there may be new species of giant fish lizards yet to be discovered in other parts of the world.