240-million-year-old 'Chinese dragon' fossil with a remarkably long neck unearthed in China

The 240-million-year-old marine reptile, akin to a mythical dragon, named Dinocephalosaurus orientalis. (Image credit: @OMApproach/Facebook)

Scientists at the National Museums Scotland (NMS) have brought to light the complete anatomy of a 240-million-year-old marine reptile, akin to a mythical dragon, named Dinocephalosaurus orientalis. Discovered in China's Guizhou Province, this five-meter-long creature from the Triassic period has baffled researchers for nearly two decades.

Recent findings, based on a decade-long study of newer specimens, shed light on its peculiar features, including a remarkably long neck, hinting at an intriguing lifestyle.

In a recent statement, Dr. Nick Fraser, the Keeper of National Sciences at NMS, expressed excitement over the latest findings, stating, "It’s curled around in this sort of figure of eight and… it’s very reminiscent of a Chinese dragon."

The fossils, first identified in 2003 by Professor Li Chun from the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology in Beijing, have undergone extensive scrutiny by an international team of researchers from Scotland, Germany, the USA, and China.

The most recent fully articulated fossil, unveiled as part of the research, provided a comprehensive view of the creature from "the tip of the nose right down to the tip of the tail," according to Dr. Fraser.

The creature's 32 vertebrae contribute to an exceptionally long neck, prompting speculation about its function. Dr. Fraser mused, "I’m still baffled by the function of the long neck," suggesting that it might have been used to probe rocks and crevices in water, potentially aiding in capturing prey.

The presence of well-preserved fish in the stomach region of one fossil supports the theory that Dinocephalosaurus orientalis was adept at thriving in a marine environment, with flippered limbs further reinforcing this hypothesis.

Interestingly, the long neck of Dinocephalosaurus orientalis draws comparisons to another enigmatic marine reptile, Tanystropheus hydroides.

The findings have been published in the journal Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.