Thunderstorm of the seas: the remains of a giant lizard were first discovered in Central Russia
In Central Russia, for the first time, the remains of a giant jaguarasaurus lizard, about 5 meters long, were discovered, Aleksey Vodorezov, head of the department of geography, ecology and nature management at Ryazan Yesenin State University, told TASS.
University scientists have been studying the Maly Prolom open pit, where the find was made, for four years. This area is considered one of the richest animal remains of the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era in the center of the Russian Plain. There, scientists have discovered over 40 species of ancient sharks and various marine reptiles.
“In Central Russia, for the first time, a tooth was found from a marine reptile from the mosasaur family, closely related to the jaguarasaurus, whose remains were found in the north of South America – perhaps the closest relative or the same species. These were powerful marine reptiles about five meters long, among those who are called “the storm of the seas”, – said Vodorezov.
He noted that among the mosasaurs this is one of the most primitive groups, similar in skull structure to modern large lizards such as the Komodo monitor lizard.
Vodorezov added that this year, on the territory of the Small Break, scientists first discovered traces of a dolphin-like lizard ichthyosaurus and pliosaurus. Before that, they found the teeth of ancient sharks of the Cenomanian era of the Cretaceous period (100-95 million years ago), the remains of the first flying dinosaurs in the center of the Russian Plain.
Earlier it was reported that Australian paleontologists have discovered a new species of pterosaurs. He lived about 110 million years ago. Its wingspan reached seven meters. Scientists noted that during his lifetime he resembled a “real dragon”.
