Ancient Sea Reptile Fossil Found in Alaska

team of paleontologists from the University of Alaska Museum of the North managed to find fossils of ancient marine reptiles that seems "stuck" on the rocks Kake area of ​​tidal waters, southeast Alaska. Based on the results of identification, it is an ancient marine reptile species of marine lizards (Thalattosaur) living at the age of dinosaurs.

The fossils were an estimated 220 million years old. "Based on the age of rocks and what I see in the picture taken, I am 99 percent sure of certainty," said Patrick Druckmiller, Fairbanks Museum curator who did the excavation and analysis of this ancient reptile fossils as quoted by FoxNews, Thursday (07/28/2011) .

Thalattosaur fossil vertebrates known to be the most complete fossil ever found. "This is a Triassic reptile specimens are best preserved and most complete as far as I am involved in various research," said Jim Baichtal, Tongass National Forest geologist, who first sent the photos to Fairbanks and is also involved in the excavation.

Druckmiller reveals, research on this Thalattosaur can help find information about the ancient reptile's life in his time. "This fossil is very complete and once we uncover another skeleton, we can compare it with other Thalattosaur and find out whether this specimen represents a new species," said Druckmiller.

According to him, there are some creatures that resemble specimens were found. One is Endennosaurus, one of 10 types Thalattosaur now been identified. Thalattosaur large can size up to 3 meters. Druckmiller said, the specimens were found in Alaska is likely to be measuring half.