Marine reptile fossil found
NZPA-Reuter Brisbane Australian scientists say they have stumbled on a previously unknown species of prehistoric marine reptile. The fossilised skull of the five-metre pliosaur, believed to be 100 million years old, was found protruding from a creek bed on a remote cattle ranch in northern Queensland. The Queensland Museum’s curator of invertebrate palaeontology, Ms Mary Wade, said the skull of the short-necked animal was one of the best-preserved fossils found in Australia.
“It has been preserved even down to the tiny bones in its fins. The body is crushed but the bones are restorable,” Ms Wade said.
“It appears to be a new species. It is not recognisable from anything we have seen in Australia.” Scientists would examine the fossil further before putting it on display in the museum, Ms Wade said.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19891104.2.40.12
Bibliographic details
Press, 4 November 1989, Page 9
Word Count
136Marine reptile fossil found Press, 4 November 1989, Page 9
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.