New species discovered: “Sword Dragon” from the Jurassic Coast
Scientists have identified a new species of ancient marine predator, Xiphodracon goldencapensis, or the “Sword Dragon of Golden Cap.” One of the most complete ichthyosaurs ever found from the Early Jurassic period, it was described in Papers in Palaeontology, Kazinform News Agency reports.
The three-meter-long skeleton was uncovered on the Dorset coast in southwest England and dates back about 190 million years, to the early Pliensbachian stage. It is the first specimen from that era to be so well preserved and has now been studied in detail by an international team of paleontologists led by Dean Lomax, Judy Massare and Erin Maxwell.
Xiphodracon goldencapensis stood out for its long, narrow snout and distinctive skull structure. It had bony ridges on the lacrimal and prefrontal bones, and an unusually shaped nostril almost entirely surrounded by the upper jawbone.
Phylogenetic analysis showed that Xiphodracon is more closely related to Hauffiopteryx than to the older genera Ichthyosaurus or Leptonectes. Together they form a new evolutionary branch, Hauffiopterygia, within the family Leptonectidae. This discovery suggests that around 190 million years ago, a major evolutionary shift was already underway, with older ichthyosaurs disappearing and newer forms emerging that later came to dominate Jurassic seas.
The fossil also preserved traces of the animal’s last meal, likely fish bones, as well as signs of old injuries including a broken collarbone, deformed fin bones and worn teeth. Researchers believe the creature may have died after being bitten by a much larger predator, probably Temnodontosaurus.
Earlier, it was reported that Archaeologists have uncovered rare artifacts from the Paleolithic era at Ulukoy Cave in Türkiye’s southeastern Mardin province, revealing the earliest known evidence of human activity in northern Mesopotamia.