Jurassic
A remarkably complete skeleton of a previously unknown ichthyosaur species has been identified from the UK's Jurassic Coast, offering fresh insights into prehistoric marine reptile evolution. The three-meter-long creature, named Xiphodracon goldencapensis and nicknamed the Sword Dragon of Dorset, dates back 190 million years to the Pliensbachian period. Its discovery helps clarify a key transition in ichthyosaur diversity during the Early Jurassic.
Reported by AI
A new study reveals that young sauropods, despite their parents' massive size, were vulnerable prey that sustained Late Jurassic predators. Researchers from UCL analyzed fossils from Colorado's Dry Mesa Quarry to reconstruct the era's food web. This abundance of easy meals may explain why predators like Allosaurus thrived without advanced hunting traits.