LONDON -- Scientists in Scotland have revealed a remarkable discovery of a "very strange" 240 million-year-old "Chinese dragon" fossil.
The international team from National Museums Scotland revealed their discovery -- found in Guizhou Province in southern China -- of the Dinocephalosaurus orientalis, a 5-meter-long aquatic reptile from the Triassic period dating back an estimated 240 million years.
"With 32 separate neck vertebrae Dinocephalosaurus orientalis had an extraordinarily long neck that draws comparison with that of Tanystropheus hydroides, another strange marine reptile from the Middle Triassic of both Europe and China," scientists said announcing the discovery.
"Both reptiles were of similar size and have several features of the skull in common, including a fish-trap type of dentition," officials continued. "However, Dinocephalosaurus is unique in possessing many more vertebrae both in the neck and in the torso, giving the animal a much more snake-like appearance."
Scientists say the reptile was "clearly very well adapted to an oceanic lifestyle," as indicated by the flippered limbs and "exquisitely preserved" fishes in its stomach region.
"Despite superficial similarities, Dinocephalosaurus was not closely related to the famous long-necked plesiosaurs that only evolved around 40 million years later and which inspired the myth of the Loch Ness Monster."
The reptile was originally identified in 2003, but this most recent discovery of additional, more complete specimens has allowed scientists to depict the bizarre long-necked creature in full for the very first time.
"It is yet one more example of the weird and wonderful world of the Triassic that continues to baffle palaeontologists, said Dr. Nick Fraser, Keeper of Natural Sciences at National Museums Scotland in the statement announcing the discovery. "We are certain that it will capture imaginations across the globe due to its striking appearance, reminiscent of the long and snake-like, mythical Chinese Dragon."
Researchers from Scotland, Germany, the United States and China studied the fossil over the course of ten years at the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology in Beijing but made their announcement public on Friday.
"This has been an international effort. Working together with colleagues from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Europe, we used newly discovered specimens housed at the Chinese Academy of Sciences to build on our existing knowledge of this animal," Professor Li Chun from the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology said. "Among all of the extraordinary finds we have made in the Triassic of Guizhou Province, Dinocephalosaurus probably stands out as the most remarkable."
The paper describing the animal has been published in full in the academic journal Earth and Environmental Science: Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
"As an early-career researcher, it has been an incredible experience to contribute to these significant findings," said Dr. Stephan Spiekman, a postdoctoral researcher based at the Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History. "We hope that our future research will help us understand more about the evolution of this group of animals, and particularly how the elongate neck functioned."
FAQs
The creature dates back 240 million years and has been dubbed a "dragon" because of its extremely long neck. It is called Dinocephalosaurus orientalis, a species that was originally identified back in 2003. This spectacular new fossil has allowed scientists to see the full anatomy of this bizarre prehistoric beast.
Did scientists discover 240 million-year-old Chinese dragon? ›
Scientists at the National Museums Scotland have discovered a 240 million-year-old "Chinese dragon" fossil — formerly known as Dinocephalosaurus orientalis. The aquatic reptile was found in Guizhou Province in Southern China, per the NHS press release.
What is the fossil of 240 million-year-old dragon? ›
Fossil reveals 240 million-year-old 'Chinese dragon' Dinocephalosaurus orientalis's snake-like body was 16 feet long and lived in Triassic China. The newly revealed specimen allows scientists to depict the creature in full for the first time.
Did the scientist really find a dragon? ›
Scientists announce discovery of 'very strange' 240 million-year-old 'Chinese dragon' fossil. The animal is a 5-meter-long aquatic reptile from the Triassic period of China. The Pteranodon was one of the largest known flying reptiles.
Has a dragon skeleton ever been found? ›
Newly-discovered fossils have allowed scientists to reveal a 240-million-year-old “dragon” in its entirety for the first ever time, National Museums Scotland (NMS) said in a statement on Friday.
Which dragon is still alive in real life? ›
Komodo dragons are living, breathing dragons, even if they don't breathe fire. But that doesn't mean they aren't really cool—and fierce—reptiles. Komodo dragons are the largest of lizards, and there are 3,000 kinds of those! They live on only five islands in southeastern Indonesia.
Is there any evidence that dragons existed? ›
In real life, probably not. While it makes sense that massive, unidentified bones combined with smaller creatures that look like they could be dragon relatives inspired the legends, we'll have to be satisfied with fictional dragon depictions to fuel the fire of our mythical mentality.
What dinosaur was found in 2024? ›
Answer: Lokiceratops rangiformis, a plant-eating dinosaur with a very fancy set of horns. The new dinosaur was identified and named by Colorado State University affiliate faculty member Joseph Sertich and University of Utah Professor Mark Loewen.
When did dragons exist? ›
One of the earliest depictions portray dragons as giant snakes in the mythologies of the ancient Near East, particularly in Mesopotamian art and literature, where dragon-like creatures are described in the Epic of Creation, the Enuma Elish, from the late 2nd millennium BC.
What were dragons in the Bible? ›
In the Bible, dragons represent rebellious spiritual beings and the violent humans and empires in league with them. Jesus ultimately overcomes the dragon with a courageous act of generous love, and he invites his followers to do the same.
Draco volans, also commonly known as the common flying dragon, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia. Like other members of genus Draco, this species has the ability to glide using winglike lateral extensions of skin called patagia.
Could dragons hypothetically exist? ›
Certainly not in the form depicted in common fantasy, such as Tolkien or GOT. No creature of such size could possibly fly, and certainly couldn't “breathe fire” in such vast and destructive quantities.
Is the dragon fossil real or fake? ›
Scientists have revealed a new, remarkably complete fossil - a 16ft (5m)-long aquatic reptile from the Triassic period. The creature dates back 240 million years and has been dubbed a "dragon" because of its extremely long neck.
Was the dragon human skull found in China? ›
The skull was reportedly discovered in 1933 by a construction worker helping to build a bridge on the Songhua river running through Harbin, in Heilongjiang province, which translated means Black Dragon River, hence the new human's name.. The city was under Japanese occupation at the time.
When was the Chinese dragon discovered? ›
The aquatic reptile, said to be from the Triassic Period in China, has been on scientists' radars since 2003, but the discovery of more complete specimens, including one fully articulated fossil, gave them the opportunity to get a full picture of the creature.
Did Palaeontologists reveal a 240 million year old Chinese dragon? ›
Discovery of 'Chinese dragon', strange marine reptile fossils outlined in Royal Society of Edinburgh journal. An international team of scientists have described new fossils of Dinocephalosaurus orientalis – a five-metre-long aquatic reptile from the Triassic period of China, dating to around 240 million years old.
Who is the oldest Chinese dragon in the world? ›
Loong is believed to be the world's oldest Chinese dragon and is included on the Victorian Heritage Register. Leigh McKinnon. The dragon, more than 120 years old and named Loong, is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. It was retired in 1970, but has been used occasionally since then.
