Discovering an ancient marine reptile dating back to dinosaur times, scientists unveil findings.
The recently classified marine reptile, Plesionectes longicollum, is a newly discovered species of plesiosauroid that lived around 183 million years ago during the Jurassic period. This remarkable find was made in 1978 at the Holzmaden fossil site in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, a location renowned for its exceptionally preserved fossils.
Measuring approximately 2.95 meters (9.7 feet), the well-preserved skeleton of Plesionectes longicollum is a significant addition to our understanding of marine reptile diversity during the Jurassic period. With a neck that accounts for nearly half its body length, stretching 125 centimeters (4.1 feet), this marine reptile was indeed a long-necked creature.
Despite being discovered over four decades ago, it was only recently recognized as a new genus and species following a detailed reassessment of its unique skeletal anatomy. Researchers Sven Sachs from the Natural History Museum of Bielefeld and Daniel Madzia from the Polish Academy of Sciences published their findings in the journal PeerJ, emphasizing the unusual combination of anatomical features that distinguish Plesionectes longicollum from other plesiosaurs discovered to date.
This discovery not only expands the known diversity of marine reptiles in the Posidonia Shale but also suggests a richer ecosystem than previously understood. Plesionectes longicollum is considered the oldest known plesiosaur specimen from Holzmaden, providing valuable insight into the diversity and adaptation of plesiosaurs during the Jurassic period.
In evolutionary terms, Plesionectes longicollum offers a fascinating glimpse into the variety of neck lengths and body forms within this marine reptile group. Its well-preserved state, including soft tissue remnants, offers rare anatomical details, aiding in understanding plesiosaur evolution and paleoecology in the ancient seas that covered the region now known as Baden-Württemberg.
Plesionectes longicollum, meaning "earlier swimmer" and "long neck," was a carnivorous marine reptile, belonging to the Plesiosaurs, a type of creature known for moving through water using four paddle-like limbs. The living marine reptile would have been approximately 3.5 meters long, making it one of the smaller plesiosaurs discovered.
The fossil of this marine reptile has been in the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart for decades and is part of its scientific collection. It is only open to the public on special occasions such as the "Day of the Open Door." The marine reptile was also known as a paddle lizard.
This discovery adds another piece to the puzzle of the evolutionary history of marine ecosystems during a crucial phase in Earth's history, offering researchers a wealth of information to explore and a testament to the continued discoveries that await us in the world of paleontology.
[1] Sachs, S., & Madzia, D. (2021). A new plesiosauroid from the Upper Jurassic Posidonia Shale of Germany: the oldest known plesiosaur from the Holzmaden locality. PeerJ, 9:e10004. [2] Sachs, S., & Madzia, D. (2021). A new plesiosauroid from the Upper Jurassic Posidonia Shale of Germany: the oldest known plesiosaur from the Holzmaden locality. PeerJ, 9:e10004. [3] Sachs, S., & Madzia, D. (2021). A new plesiosauroid from the Upper Jurassic Posidonia Shale of Germany: the oldest known plesiosaur from the Holzmaden locality. PeerJ, 9:e10004. [4] Sachs, S., & Madzia, D. (2021). A new plesiosauroid from the Upper Jurassic Posidonia Shale of Germany: the oldest known plesiosaur from the Holzmaden locality. PeerJ, 9:e10004.
- The extraordinary discovery of Plesionectes longicollum, a new marine reptile species, has opened up new avenues in the field of environmental science, particularly in the study of ancient marine ecosystems.
- As technology advances and data and cloud computing become more integrated into paleontological research, a wealth of information can be gleaned from well-preserved and unique skeletal remains like those of Plesionectes longicollum, thereby enhancing our understanding of space and astronomy's influences on Earth's history.
- The unusual combination of anatomical features displayed by Plesionectes longicollum provides a fascinating case study in the intersection of environmental-science and technology, offering insights into the evolution of marine reptiles and the unique adaptations that allowed them to thrive in their ancient environments.
