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Marine reptile skeleton found in Russia proves existence of unknown species

he discovery uncovered a skeletal fragment showing the reptile had a five-boned structure on its flippers, distancing it from the four-bone structure found to date on similar creatures

© EPA/UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE, archive

ORENBURG, February 1. /TASS/. The skeleton of a new species of marine plesiosaur, a large web-footed reptile becoming extinct 65 million years ago, has been found in the Urals city of Orenburg, the local head of Russia's national paleontological society told TASS on Monday.

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New species of ancient marine lizards found in Russia’s southern Urals

The discovery uncovered a skeletal fragment showing the reptile had a five-boned structure on its flippers, distancing it from the four-bone structure found to date on similar creatures. This sizes the large-headed, long-necked creature at between four and seven meters long, roaming the oceans worldwide.

"Examination of the almost unharmed fragments gave scientists a chance to discover and register the new species," Vladimir Efimov said.

A scientific article has been prepared to introduce the find to the scientific community.

Plesiosaurs first appeared in the late Triassic Period, about 205 million years ago, thriving through the Jurassic Period until they died out.

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