Rare ichthyosaur is only second known example

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A rare 200 million-year-old ichthyosaur specimen has been discovered in a private collection 22 years after it was originally found.

The fossil is only the second example of Wahlisaurus massarae, a new species of ichthyosaur discovered by The University of Manchester palaeontologist, Dean Lomax. This fossil was originally found in 1996 and has now been donated to a museum.

Ichthyosaurs have recently been in the limelight as the focus of BBC One documentary, 'Attenborough and the Sea Dragon'. They were a type of sea-going reptile that lived during the time of the dinosaurs. Their fossils are plentiful in the UK and in recent years Lomax has described five different species of the prehistoric reptile.

"The discovery of the new specimen in a private collection helps to recognise the important contribution of dedicated and responsible fossil collectors. I am especially grateful to Simon for donating the specimen and collecting all of the data available with the specimen when he found it." Added Lomax.