Remains of what could be the largest marine reptile ever found on the beach by a schoolgirl

Fossilized remains of what may be the largest known marine reptile to ever live were found on a beach in Somerset by a schoolgirl and her father.

Father and daughter Justin and Ruby Reynolds made the ‘amazing’ discovery while searching for fossils on Blue Anchor beach. Ruby, then 11 years old, found the first giant piece of jawbone in May 2020. Now 15, she is a proud co-author of published scientific articles.

Experts have determined that the fossils come from the jaws of a new species of ichthyosaur, a type of prehistoric marine reptile, which would have been more than 25 meters long (twice as long as a double-decker bus) and lived during the Late Triassic, more than 200 million years ago.

Realizing they had discovered something important, the Reynolds family contacted ichthyosaur expert, Dr. Dean Lomax, a paleontologist at the University of Manchester.

Dr. Lomax, who is also a Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, contacted Paul de la Salle, an experienced fossil collector who had found the first giant jawbone further along the Somerset coast near Lilstock in May 2016. Dr. Lomax said: “I was amazed by the find.”

“In 2018, my team – including Paul de la Salle – studied and described Paul’s gigantic jawbone and we had hoped that one day another would come to light. This new specimen is more complete, better preserved and shows that Now that we have two of these gigantic bones – a so-called surangular – that have a unique shape and structure, I was very excited, to say the least.

Justin and Ruby, from Braunton, Devon, visited Dr. Lomax and several family members left the site to look for more pieces of the rare discovery. Over time, the team found additional pieces of the same jaw that fit together perfectly, like an old puzzle.

Mr Reynolds said: “When Ruby and I found the first two pieces we were very excited because we realized this was something important and unusual. When I found the back part of the jaw I was excited because that was one of the defining sharing is from Paul’s earlier discovery.”

The last piece of bone was recovered in October 2022. Dr. Lomax’s research team determined that the jawbones belong to a new species of giant ichthyosaur that would have been about the size of a blue whale.

Comparing the two examples of the same bone with the same unique features from the same geological time zone supports their identifications. The team has named the new genus and species Ichthyotitan severnensis, meaning ‘giant fish lizard of the Severn’. Dr. Lomax said the bones are about 202 million years old, dating to the end of the Triassic period during a time known as the Rhaetian.

He said that during that period the giant ichthyosaurs swam through the seas while dinosaurs walked on land. Ichthyotitan is not the world’s first giant ichthyosaur, but experts say the Somerset discoveries are “unique” among those known to science. The very first ichthyosaur to be brought to the attention of science was discovered in 1811 and 1812 by Mary Anning and Joseph Anning in Lyme Regis, Dorset, along the Jurassic Coast.

Dr. Lomax said: “I was very impressed that Ruby and Justin correctly identified the discovery as a huge jawbone of an ichthyosaur. They recognized that it matched the one we described in 2018. I asked them if they would like to join my team to study and describe this fossil, including its name. They seized the opportunity.

“For Ruby in particular, she’s now a published scientist who not only found, but helped name a species of giant prehistoric reptile. There probably aren’t many 15-year-olds who can say that! A Mary Anning in the making, perhaps.”

Ruby said, “It was so cool to discover part of this giant ichthyosaur. I’m very proud to have played a part in a scientific discovery like this.” Further research into the internal structures of the bones was carried out by master’s student Marcello Perillo.

His work at the University of Bonn in Germany confirmed the origin of the ichthyosaur bones and revealed that the animal was still growing at the time of death. He said: “We could confirm the unique set of histological features typical of the mandibles of giant ichthyosaurs: the abnormal periosteal growth of these bones indicates yet-to-be understood bone development strategies, now lost to deep time, which are probably late Triassic ichthyosaurs made it possible to reach the known biological limits of vertebrates in terms of size. Much about these giants is still shrouded in mystery, but fossil by fossil we will be able to unravel their secret.”

Paul de la Salle added: “The thought that my discovery in 2016 would generate so much interest in these enormous creatures fills me with joy. When I found the first jawbone, I knew it was something special. To have a second one that confirms our findings is incredible. I’m overjoyed.”

Now Ruby, Justin and Paul’s discoveries will go on display at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. Dr. Lomax added: “This investigation has been ongoing for almost eight years. It’s quite remarkable to think that giant ichthyosaurs the size of a blue whale swam in the oceans around what was Britain during the Triassic.

“These jawbones provide tantalizing evidence that a complete skull or skeleton of one of these giants may one day be found. You never know.” The findings have been published in the journal PLoS One.