Ichthyosaurs were a group of marine reptiles that lived during the time of the dinosaurs. Recently, an international research team from Switzerland and Germany has discovered a new species of ichthyosaur based on fossils found at the Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken in Bayreuth, Germany. This discovery was published in Museum für Naturkunde Berlin’s open-access journal fossil Record.
The newly described species, named Eurhinosaurus mistelgauensis, is named after the clay pit of Mistelgau in Upper Franconia where numerous crucial fossil finds have been made. The lead researcher behind this discovery, Gaël Spicher from JURASSICA Museum in Porrentruy, Switzerland explains that they wanted to highlight the scientific significance of this locality.
The fossils used for this study were recovered and prepared by Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken through regular excavations as 1998. One specimen was found at a site known as “belemnite battleground,” which is characterized by dense accumulations of Jurassic cephalopod remains.
Eurhinosaurus mistelgauensis shares similar body shape with other species in its genus such as dolphins and tuna. however, it differs from previously known species due to its robust ribs and unique features in the joint connecting its skull and neck.
According to Dr.Serjoscha Evers, director of Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken, naming a new species highlights the importance of their fossil collections for understanding Jurassic marine ecosystems.he also adds that Mistelgau continues to provide rare insights into a time period that is not well-documented worldwide.
Further studies on these fossils are currently underway including analysis on injuries preserved within ichthyosaur skeletons which may provide facts about their ecology and life history.
Original source:
Spicher GE et al., (2025) A new eurhinosaurus (Ichthyosauria) species from the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) of Mistelgau (Bavaria, southern Germany). Fossil Record 28(2): 249-291. https://doi.org/10.3897/fr.28.154203
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Wow, this is an incredible discovery! 🦕