Eldorado Posted October 29, 2020 #1 Share Posted October 29, 2020 (edited) About 240 million years ago, when reptiles ruled the ocean, a small lizard-like predator floated near the bottom of the edges in shallow water, picking off prey with fang-like teeth. A short and flat tail, used for balance, helps identify it as a new species, according to research published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Paleontologists at the Chinese Academy of Scientists and Canadian Museum of Nature have analyzed two skeletons from a thin layer of limestone in two quarries in southwest China. They identified the skeletons as nothosaurs, Triassic marine reptiles with a small head, fangs, flipper-like limbs, a long neck, and normally an even longer tail, probably used for propulsion. However, in the new species, the tail is short and flat. Full monty at SciTech Daily: Link Edited October 29, 2020 by Eldorado 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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