Otago marine fossil find
PA Dunedin An amateur rockhound has found a large marine reptile fossil about 65 million years old on a beach in North Otago. The find, which has been kept secret for several months in case of vandalism, has excited a University of Otago geology lecturer, Dr E. Fordyce, whose specialty ; is marine fossil animals.
Dr Fordyce said the marine reptile fossil may be about seven metres long, the size of a small whale. He estimated its.age at about 65 million years. Other similar specimens had been found in other parts of New Zealand, but this fossil was remarkably complete and was the only one to have been found in Otago, Dr Fordyce said. Marine reptiles became
extinct about 65 million years ago. Dr Fordyce will make a preliminary excavation this week and a team of geology students will excavate the fossil skeleton during the summer holidays. It will be taken to the geology department in pieces. It will probably take several years to separate the skeleton from the rock and reassemble it.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19821011.2.75
Bibliographic details
Press, 11 October 1982, Page 10
Word Count
176Otago marine fossil find Press, 11 October 1982, Page 10
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.