Pliosaur discovery on Jurassic Coast is 'very likely a new species'

A team of fossil hunters, led by collector Steve Etches, has uncovered what is thought to be the most complete Jurassic pliosaur skull ever found.
Embedded high up on a cliff in Dorset, UK, Etches and his collaborator Chris Moore spent weeks suspended on the cliff face, digging out the fossil before winching it to safety. “This is the pinnacle, really, of the things that I've been involved with,” Etches told New Scientist. “All I want from that is more information. The science is the thing that draws me in,” he says. “What does it show you? What does it tell you?”
“It's very likely a new species,” says Judyth Sassoon, a leading expert on pliosaurs at the University of Bristol, UK.
Of particular interest is the fossil’s large sagittal crest, a ridge of bone at the rear of the skull. “The height of the crest might be an indication of differences between the male and female sexes,” she says.
Intriguingly, the crest may not be fully formed, suggesting the animal was still a juvenile. With its already huge 1.7-meter-long skull and the potential for growth, this adds further evidence to the idea that pliosaurs were much larger than previously thought. "We have fragmentary data from the Kimmeridgian [Era, in the late Jurassic Period] - vertebrae or paddle bones and so on - that suggest that there were larger pliosaurs around. We just haven't found the skulls yet," says Sassoon.
In addition, CT scans of sensory pits found on the reptile’s snout reveal that these were connected to blood vessels and sensory nerves able to detect changes in pressure, which could have helped pliosaurs hunt prey. The specimen has a complete set of teeth in an interlocking jaw, so scientists now understand more than ever about pliosaurs' hunting and eating abilities.
The skull will go on show to the public next year at the Etches Collection in Dorset, UK, and is the subject of a new BBC documentary with David Attenborough, called Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster, due to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 1 January 2024.
 
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#attenborough #pliosaur #seamonster

[@jakobneville2917]

It's easy to understand that when ancient humans discovered bones like this, they mistook them for dragons.

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

Lol, true.😅😄🐉🐲

[@campersruincod6134]

Great comment.

[@derek6579]

How old are you?

[@jakobneville2917]

@@derek6579 I’m ageless and timeless.

[@jakobneville2917]

@@sonychacko1846 I AM THE FUTURE POKÉMON CHAMPION! BOW DOWN AND RESPECT ME, MORTALS.

[@desmeisme]

The fact this thing was actually alive once and moving around and was breathing and living its life, however it did, is epic. So trippy cool and fascinating

[@tatelabianca666]

0:33 Chris marveling about the fact that the pliosaur's teeth are mainly still in their sockets, while his own teeth are mainly not - that's a golden moment!

[@edub0524]

I was just about to say the same thing lmao!

[@kledus420smith8]

Damm did your Boi dirty lol

[@az1758]

Cheeky 😂😂

[@ianjones7294]

Amazing find! Pliosaurs were such formidable ocean hunters. They were just as terrifying as a Tyrannosaurus rex. Compared to today, the oceans during the Mesozoic era were extremely dangerous places to be. If this pliosaur is from the Jurassic era, it had lived about 80 million years before the K-T event.

[@TheEtchesCollection]

This pliosaur comes from the late jurassic and is indeed about 80 million years older than the T rex. Make sure you tune into the show to learn the full story!

[@garnet4846]

What a bunch of nonsense you typed out. Lol.

[@PackHunter117]

Same thing with the Mosasaurs from the Cretaceous

[@tommystravels64]

CONGRATULATIONS!! The work that's been done to reveal and prepare this phenomenal creature is beyond words!! I was absolutely speechless when I first saw this! I hope they go on to recover the rest of it!! Good luck to the team!

[@TheEtchesCollection]

Thank you, it's been a very busy year for us and a very exciting one! It takes our breath away nearly every time we see it. We are hoping to get the rest of it but we will have to see what the future holds.

[@metanoian965]

the rest of it is still in China

[@mynameIan]

@@TheEtchesCollectionplease update us.

[@Horner219]

Definitely, awesome work…..your team has to get the rest of the complete fossil, just imagine what could be discovered

[@TheEtchesCollection]

@@mynameIan Hopefully, if it happens we will be able to update the whole world, just as we have this time :)

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

You don't find one of those on the beach very often! A case of right place, right time.

[@mikomaxwell6313]

@@RitualFlipso what is it

[@garnet4846]

Ya...how CONvienient

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

A Young Earth Creationist I think. You'll get about as much sense out them as you'll get out a drunken capibara!@@mikomaxwell6313

[@bonysminiatures3123]

@@RitualFlip bible basher ??

[@bonysminiatures3123]

@@garnet4846 whats convienient about it lmao

[@RealUlrichLeland]

What a treasure! Whenever I visit my grandparents on the coast I always make sure to look for fossils. I've got a whole bowl full of Belemnites, a fossilised sea urichin and a fish but I could only dream of finding something this special.

[@gibbethoskins8621]

Just boggles my mind that something can last this long and be found millions of years after its life

[@alexhidel3732]

The earth was created in 6 days, 6000 years ago

[@gibbethoskins8621]

@@alexhidel3732 Ideas vs evidence. You can play pretend all you like but the evidence says otherwise.

[@teeanahera8949]

@@alexhidel3732mmm who to believe, sky fairies v scientists?

[@IsaacBrown-kk7jx]

Don’t you think it’s insulting to God to take the beautiful creatures he made (prehistoric ones included) and pretend they’re fake? God made all creatures. And here you are, insulting his beautiful creations.

[@IsaacBrown-kk7jx]

was trying to reply to the first guy to reply to you.@@gibbethoskins8621

[@kishona69]

It's absolutely mind-boggling trying to wrap my mind around the reality that creatures like this actually existed on Earth. Beyond fascinating imo.

[@jambothebairn]

and terrifying

[@randomfire5315]

And the fact that just saying '150 million years ago' doesn't really capture the actual time it stayed there for us to discover it.

[@TheEtchesCollection]

@@randomfire5315 It is difficult to comprehend those numbers and what life may truly have been like. But finds like this and our hard work hopefully does a good job of trying to show off those amazing environments.

[@JohnAvillaHerpetocultural]

We still have some astounding creatures. What would you think of a whale if they had lived back then instead of now? How about giraffes and elephants? Those are really weird animals when you start to really look at them.

[@courtneytaylor1078]

How do we know some of the creatures still exist. The ocean has still not be fully searched, some people have theories that under us is another world which is all fun to believe

[@jeffagain7516]

Wow! I was NOT prepared for the image when that sheet got pulled off near the beginning. These lads hit the jackpot! What an incredible find. To see a head structure so well preserved must be the dream of all archeologists. Well done team! 😍

[@CYBERSECURITY.101]

The discovery of this pliosaur skull is significant because it provides new information about these ancient creatures. It is also a reminder of the importance of protecting fossil sites.

[@moycorbin4750]

80% people amazed 5% religious shenanigans 5% that's a dragon 10% British teeth

[@Iknowaboutroaches3350]

The Bible literally talks about a dragon, why is it shenanigans? They claim to know what was going on 150 million years ago, lol, seriously?

[@moycorbin4750]

@@Iknowaboutroaches3350 as many other religions, it doesn't mean Christianity has the answers duh

[@Iknowaboutroaches3350]

@@moycorbin4750 well I know the answers aren't in a science book, they are in the Bible, you just refuse to believe it, that doesn't make it not true.

[@moycorbin4750]

@@Iknowaboutroaches3350 i could say the same but in opposite to you, sciencetifics don't wanna make you atheist they show evidence and facts made by reasearch, even if many of them are religious that doesn't Interfere with their jobs

[@Iknowaboutroaches3350]

@@moycorbin4750 yeah right, the government funds a lot of "science" research, there is an agenda, if they can get you to believe there is no God than the state can be god over the people.

[@veldawells2839]

Magnificent dinosaur remains. Oh, the stories it could tell. Looks frightening. The size of the jaw is incredible. The health of the skull is amazing.

[@sevenstars004]

Fascinating! I was just reading an article about this exact, amazing find and was excited to see this video was just released. Truly, a terrifying creature!

[@Tokermon]

I'm also fascinated by the beauty of the condition of this fossil,the way the teeth align makes it look especially fearsome,i wonder how it lived and hunted.. I want to get better view of the skull to try drawing what I would imagine it to look like.

[@serenity3277]

@@Tokermonit’ll be on display at kimmeridge museum in January.

[@oldschoolman1444]

Damn, that thing would snap you up like a cheeto!

[@rhyagelle]

Make no mistake--that's a god damn dragon. A dragon that cannot breathe fire. A sea dragon. It's incredible what used to live on this planet!

[@adigalis7406]

What a brilliant find!

[@jusbus92]

Yeah!

[@philipjjacobs]

Yes it was a very exciting moment

[@KaryssaKilljoys]

I am studying to become a Paleontologist and this is extremely inspiring to see. I’m excited and this is awesome

[@tylerjohnston4588]

Good luck, that was my dream job

[@KaryssaKilljoys]

never too late :) Im 26 and now in my second semester @@tylerjohnston4588

[@mazklassa9338]

This took tremendous luck to discover.

[@apsilos2]

😅😅😅 sure 😁

[@mazklassa9338]

@@apsilos2 and your sarcasm is what?

[@2nerC9]

I can't start to imagine how many new animals are yet to be discovered or animals that will never be because they weren't fossilized. Wish we had a time machine to see what it looked like back then especially dinosaurs. I feel both excitement and sadness.

[@mintybadger6905]

I can’t believe how BIG that skull is! What a beast.

[@TRHARTAmericanArtist]

Best news in a long time. What a present for Christmas!

[@gaius_enceladus]

People in the UK are *so lucky* when it comes to fossils! I'm in New Zealand and even trilobites are very rare to find here.

[@nicknugent6749]

Terrific! I'm looking forward to hearing more of the story behind this find, and seeing it on display. Great summary video 👍

[@michaelvaladez6570]

I've been a fan boy ever since I was a little boy..of dinosaurs..to see this amazing find..I just can't believe what an extremely extraordinary find with its teeth intact..Amazing !!!!

[@teeanahera8949]

I’m a fan man and have been ever since I was a fan boy. In between I was a fan teen. 😅

[@larsrons7937]

What a fantastic find. I am eager to follow this story. In 1989 I visited the newly made national park of Toro Toro, Potosí region, Bolivia. The area had dinosaur tracks, footprints of all sizes and shapes all over the place. Wandering in the area I every moment expected to meet a dinosaur around the next corner. But finding the bones themselves is special.

[@garnet4846]

It's a lie and a fraud.

[@bonniemob65]

​@@garnet4846Source?

[@davidedwardsme]

Refreshing to see some positive news on the BBC news page today. Very cool to see!

[@zach2980]

What a find!!

[@jusbus92]

Yeah!

[@moemuggy4971]

All I hear is, "Charlie bit my finger"

[@craiggibbons8228]

England is the best place to find sea monsters. What we lack in land dinosaurs we make up for in Sea beasts.

[@JohnyG29]

There is no lack of dinosaur fossils. There are loads of dinosaurs fossils that have been found from rock that now finds itself within the borders of the UK.

[@TheEtchesCollection]

We truly do have some amazing Marine life here. But it's not worth forgetting the Isle of Wight has some incredibly important dinosaur finds even if they aren't quite as amazing as the american discoveries :)

[@pptemplar5840]

Shout-out to that mummified mouse, He found himself a kick ass beach house.

[@matthewwilliams3827]

Spectacular stuff. I’ve always loved this sort of discoveries! 😃

[@larryarevaloproudfoot2182]

That Pliosaur can teach a lot on dental care to us Sapiens !

[@oleandreasjensen5263]

Big Pliosaurs and Marine animals have also been discovered on Svalbard, Norway, and there is still soextremely much fossils there wauting for be discovered.

[@TheEtchesCollection]

There have been some amazing discoveries in svalbard and we love seeing what gets discovered there!

[@fuccasound3897]

The Pliosaur is lovely but why does Steve Etches work in the 3rd Doctor Who's laboratory? It even has the spiral staircase!

[@pjsviking]

Thank you so much for sharing these finds and your knowledge - so interesting and fascinating.

[@TheEtchesCollection]

To learn more about this amazing find make sure to tune into the documentary on BBC on New Years day. And the skull will be on display in the New Year!

[@garnet4846]

​@@TheEtchesCollectionya, tune into those lying clowns on bbc for more BS LIES.

[@DreadEnder]

Seeing it in person was absolutely incredible!

[@noirangel6416]

The fact this creature may have been in its late juvenile stage of growth terrifies me. 😨

[@offtraileddino5989]

A superb and a once in a life time find, unless you’ve got the keen eyes of Steve Etches.

[@andrewshear2927]

That is an absolutely amazing specimen, looking forward to the research paper on it.

[@lagunamusic7686]

It’s so sad to think of all the animals that have existed that will most likely never exist again.

[@rooftopcat1785]

Great ,GREAT FIND, i would like to see it as a whole later on.

[@mynameIan]

Absolutely remarkable. Well done.

[@magneto8002]

Incredible find.

[@DylansPen]

From what I've read there are only 9 partial fossils of Pliosaurs, this discovery is incredible.

[@Darkgeran7]

Very impressive find hope we can have dig sites here in Connecticut one day

[@noahmaroto]

The fact that he’s saying the Dinosaur has all the teeth in its sockets while he’s missing a bunch is HILARIOUS 😂😂😂😂

[@Atreyuuuuuuu]

The fact the dinosaur had stones in it's belly - meant it never went to the dentist 🤡

[@netizencapet]

I've long thought that world mythology's great dragons, sea monsters, etc. originate from tales first devised in Prehistory when many grand and splendid fossils - or even fully preserved extinct monsters - might have been lying about that were observed as the global ice sheets melted away, leaving mighty impressions in the awestruck humans that told of their startling finds far and wide.

[@teeanahera8949]

Global climate change leading to ice ages and warming periods is, in part, cyclical so if there was, say 10,000 yrs between a freezing event and a warming event then the animals found after thawing wouldn’t be so different to what what the locals were used to. Plus by the time one of the Homo genus ventured into a once frozen area the preserved animals would no longer be preserved and rather decayed perhaps. We really don’t get to see the whole animal until lots of scientific procedures are carried out so ancient peoples would have only seen “weird” animals rarely. I’m not saying you’re wrong, I am just trying to get my head around the logic of your hypothesis.

[@antonackermann9620]

Absolutely terrifying skull. The literal last thing you would want to run into if it were alive.

[@1200rexer]

WOW that find is amazing great work and well done

[@matycee]

the irony of Chris Moore, at :37 mentioning teeth still existing in their sockets, is almost too much to bear.

[@RuudHooletsNest]

More fake than his morning routine😂

[@TheBrad1300]

I know this one guy who can tell you what it is. He can identify any skull, he will think its a fish at first though.

[@raygrange7312]

Wonderful job.

[@brucemibus9523]

Just amazing find!

[@cliffowens3629]

Sounds like a story line for James Guerney to get involved in.

[@tonysargent1699]

Does finding things like this skull make anyone wonder what else is buried further inland, under the soil of what used to be the ocean bed?

[@TheEtchesCollection]

We wonder that all the time and we know there is a lot buried all across the UK that will just never see the light of day. We also know that an awful lot gets destroyed, sadly palaeontology doesn't have the same protection as archaeology. So many new finds were likely destroyed by the work done fo HS2.

[@dingo9696]

I think you have a misunderstanding of how stratigraphy works 😅

[@Buster_Piles]

Best head the teams had in years.

[@tinathelasttwenty1249]

Amazing ❤

[@jusbus92]

Yeah!

[@1Kent]

Fantastic.👍

[@Testosterooster]

This is incredible!!

[@ThePalaeontologist]

Love this. These are truly exquisite finds. Steve Etches is great. I recall seeing his collection and speaking with him with the class and tutor while at university. He's a legend.

[@darthcheney7447]

Any size estimates for this bad boy?

[@philipjjacobs]

One of my better finds.

[@simonsimon325]

Hi Philip. Do you plan to put up a video about your amazing find? Would love to hear you tell the story.

[@philipjjacobs]

@@simonsimon325 I will but I cant do anything until after the program airs due to contractual restrictions.

[@NewScientist]

Agreed, Philip. You must be so pleased and proud of your find. Thanks to you, Steve, Chris, and many others, this fossil will help science understand so much more about these majestic animals of the past. Well done, and thank you from New Scientist 😊 👏

[@philipjjacobs]

@@NewScientist I`m very happy to help my good friend Steve and gift all my best finds to the museum. We`ve both been hunting the Kimmeridgean since the early 80s

[@TomGodson95]

​@philipjjacobs Do you know what the programme is called? Would love to watch it when it airs and your video too! 🙂

[@HeyItsJumpman]

Wow! what will they discover next?

[@irkendragon]

Amazing epic find, I'm excited to see what papers get written up on it in the coming years.

[@desmeisme]

Absolutely awesome

[@michaelflinn7784]

There are some pretty grumpy old fossils at the clinic in Bournemouth as well.

[@denislemelin7653]

Brilliant !

[@SimonSmith-yd6tt]

Absolutely fantastic find total beauty Collected many an ammonite and belomite on those very beaches. Have to laugh though as the 1st thing you see as you enter the beach are BIG signs from the council asking you NOT to hack into the cliff-face.

[@TheEtchesCollection]

It's an amazing find. The fossil collecting code is quite complicated. The restrictions are often location specific but the advice to avoid the cliffs is often pretty universal. It's also not just a safety thing, it is also about protecting environments. Some of these sites are also incredibly inportant for current marine life. Further to this it is also theft to take specimens from a cliff without landowner permission. It's always worth checking the fossil collecting advice for each location with the relevant authorities. And if you aren't sure there are normally signs posted :)

[@RodrigoMorenoPaleo]

This is just mind blowing.

[@mwj5368]

Phenomenal story and great videography. Congrats on your virually historic find! I'm only amateur but would you maybe take the area of the skull that was flattened into stuck-together pieces and re-construct the skull in it's original dimensions?

[@oddsman01]

It’s amazing to just find it out on the beach like that!

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

Well, not so much on the beach, but embedded in the thick shale layer by the beach. Sorry, if that came off as pedantic of me.

[@user-qt6sf6yl1f]

What a time to be alive for the prehistory lovers

[@jwsanders1214]

You are living in the Last Days . Jesus told us what the world would look like just before his return. He said it would be like the days of Sodom and Gomorrah , and it is. He said that the nation of Israel would be resurrected from the dead and she was. He said that “ when you see all these things begin to happen, look up for your redemption is drawing near “ Trust in Jesus

[@user-qt6sf6yl1f]

@@jwsanders1214 Oh man you possibly found the worst place to write your absurds sorry

[@jwsanders1214]

Don’t you see what is happening before your eyes? Everything that Jesus said would happen before he returns is happening now. Jesus told us that the nation of Israel would be destroyed, and it was in 70 Ad Jesus said that the nation of Israel would be resurrected before he returns, and after being dead for 2000 years she was resurrected on May 14 , 1948 . Trust Jesus and be saved from the wrath to come. @@user-qt6sf6yl1f

[@louisehelgesson5471]

Oh wow, it is so well perserved! And look at those teeth!

[@NaughtyGoatFarm]

That guy saying that it was amazing that it's teeth were still in the sockets, when he had none of his own teeth in their sockets made me laugh.

[@Stand.Your.Ground.]

MIND BLOWN!

[@NorskaFjordskaOfficial]

Amazing find, if it may be a new species, i’m wondering what name they’re thinking of for this species.

[@craigbrown5359]

That is an amazing find and an even more a.azing job of restoration!!!

[@frijevc]

This is a damn huge beast.

[@fredreeves7652]

This guy is clearly related to Paul Newman, the former actor, wow!

[@garysczerbaniewicz5951]

Too bad they didn't acknowledge the original 'finder'......

[@philipjjacobs]

That was me

[@randomfire5315]

Sometimes wen im high ilI try to go through a really fast timelapse of 150 million years. Still unfathomable imo!!

[@angelreys7029]

The fact that the the rest of the body is still in there is fascinating, imagine finding the whole fossilized body

[@RuudHooletsNest]

Amazing how they've NEVER actually discovered one before 😂

[@stuffynosepatrol]

I doubt the rest of the body was fossilised. Its incredibly rare for an entire specimen to go through fossilisation. The head and neck were likely lucky enough to be in the perfect spot for fossilisation while the rest of the body detereorated as most dead bodies do.

[@stuffynosepatrol]

@@RuudHooletsNest discovered what?

[@angelreys7029]

@@RuudHooletsNest 🤫

[@johndanville6643]

That's fantastic 😀

[@alienxyt]

Amazing!

[@OSU2010]

You know the Jurassic World writers about to put this beast in the next film😂

[@johnshields6852]

I agree, those teeth are in great shape, possibly because it was a young healthy, still growing creature.

[@joeldriver-sp2rg]

I don't think you would have wanted to do much surfing back in the era of dinosaurs like this.

[@kourtneytutorials7674]

I've found some interesting fossils along that jurassic coast definitely a fun day out

[@Blaaaaaaah224]

That is a cool find

[@mygreatel]

No doubt it's a dragon's skull 🤩

[@sH-ed5yf]

Dragons never existed mate

[@johnpartridge7623]

What a discovery, it's incredible & I thought It's bad enough to come face to face with a Great White Shark, can you imagine what's it's prey fell like???

[@paulstephenson9409]

We went fossil hunting there

[@sawdust2556]

Awesome!🎉

[@janiebarker2687]

Wow this is super epic 💖 I spent many a Summer holiday with my Family here the unspoilt beauty of the 70's remains and swimming in the Sea 😃

[@louisasmiles]

This is super cool actually

[@davebrunette6394]

Awesome!!!

[@dianecleary3404]

Love it, that is impressive

[@scott22ist]

All I can say is wow amazing!!!!!!!!!!

[@msdemeanor6057]

I must still be a kid ‘cause I love this stuff. From the find, to the excavation (a just in time rescue if you ask me, performed by smart, brave folks), and the painstaking cleaning and assembly. The depth of find in the cliff face at 15 metres from the surface and 11 metres from the ground has to be rare, and revealing.

[@ccptube3468]

Looks like a Dragon Skull. Imagine digging this thing during the dark ages..