2006 Fossil Plesiosaur Discovered in Antarctica
Photo of the discovery site on a cold, rocky, windswept slope on Vega Island, Antarctica. Photo by James Martin, used with permission.
Paleontologists from the United States and Argentina discovered one of the most complete plesiosaur skeletons ever found. (A plesiosaur is a swimming marine reptile that lived about 70 million years ago. At that time the waters of what is now Antarctica were much warmer than they are today.) The fossil plesiosaur was discovered during a 2005 expedition to Antarctica. The fossil goes on display today at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology's Museum of Geology.
This plesiosaur specimen is a juvenile of about 5 feet (1.5 meters) in length. An adult plesiosaur is about 32 feet (10 meters). It was perfectly articulated and complete, except that the skull had been lost to erosion. The plesiosaur was excavated from deposits of shallow marine sands covered by volcanic ash. Paleontologists speculate that the volcanic blast or debris thrown into the ocean was responsible for the plesiosaur's death.
Artist's impression of the plesiosaur and environment. Painting by Nicolle Rager, National Science Foundation.