190-Million-Year-Old Xiphodracon: New Ichthyosaur Species Discovered on Britain's Jurassic Coast

Oct 10, 2025 09:25 pm CST

Scientists have identified a new ichthyosaur species named Xiphodracon goldencapensis ("Sword Dragon of Dorset") from a nearly complete 190-million-year-old skeleton discovered on Britain's Jurassic Coast. This unique dolphin-sized marine reptile, featuring a distinctive sword-like snout and large eye socket, represents an important discovery that helps fill gaps in our understanding of ichthyosaur evolution.