By Helen BriggsBBC News
28 August 2017
The fossil of a marine reptile ''re-discovered'' in a museum
is the largest of its kind on record, say scientists.
The ''sea dragon'' belongs to a group that swam the world's
oceans 200 million years ago, while dinosaurs walked the land.
The specimen is the largest Ichthyosaurus to be
described, at more than three metres long.
It was discovered on the coast of England more than 20 years
ago, but has remained unstudied until now.
Palaeontologist Sven Sachs saw the fossil on display at a
museum in Hannover. He contacted UK palaeontologist, Dean Lomax, who is an
expert on Ichthyosaurs.
''It amazes me that specimens such as this [the biggest] can
still be 'rediscovered' in museum collections,'' said the University of
Manchester palaeontologist.
''You don't necessarily have to go out in the field to make a
new discovery.''
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