Thread by @theipaper

Britain’s largest ‘sea dragon’ fossil has been found in a reservoir in Rutland ⛏️
inews.co.uk/news/sea-drago…

🐬The remains are the biggest and most complete Ichthyosaur skeleton ever found in the UK
🚌And it is longer than a double decker bus.

⬇️ Palaeontologist @Dean_R_Lomax for scale📏

🦖 The skeleton dates back 180 million years,

📏 It measures around 10 metres in length

🦴And the skull weighs in at around one tonne.

📍The discovery of the dinosaur - also known as the ‘sea dragon’ - was made at Rutland Water Nature Reserve, at a reservoir own by @AnglianWater.

❓What is an Ichthyosaur?

🐬They were marine reptiles that resembled dolphins. 🐬And were common in Britain until their extinction around 90 million years ago.

Palaeontologists have been finding their fossils in the UK for more than 200 years.

⛏️The Rutland remains were discovered by chance in February last year, during a routine draining of a lagoon for re-landscaping.

And it took a team of palaeontologists two months to excavate the fragile skeleton last summer.

📸: The team

The discovery has been hailed by experts as a “highly significant” and “unprecedented” palaeontological find.

Read more here from @MadeleineCuff ⬇️ inews.co.uk/news/sea-drago…

🐬@RutlandWaterNR @LeicsWildlife

Watch the team uncover the huge Ichthyosaur skeleton⛏️

📍@RutlandWaterNR @LeicsWildlife

Read more: inews.co.uk/news/sea-drago…