February 26, 2019 4.16 pm This story is over 61 months old

Ancient sea monster uncovered in Lincolnshire

Pliosaurs would have been around eight metre long and four metres wide when they roamed the earth over 155 million years ago.
It would have looked something like this.

An ancient sea monster has been uncovered at a building site in North Lincolnshire.

Experts discovered around 29 vertebrae, a tooth, 14 ribs, a humerus and small bones which made up the monster’s skeleton.

The remains of a Pliosaur, believed to have been one of the top predators of the sea, will go on display at the North Lincolnshire Museum.

Experts have been rebuilding the monster.

Pliosaurs would have been around eight metres long and four metres wide when they stalked the seas over 155 million years ago.

They had an enormously powerful bite, a complex system of organs in their snout, great eyesight and the ability to taste water to locate prey.

The team extracting some of the remains.

Richard Forrest, an expert in Pliosaurs, said: “It tells a fascinating story of how the carcass was broken down by scavenging.

“Because top predators are much less common than their prey, this is indeed a rare find.

“We have hundreds of specimens of other marine reptiles but only a handful of Pliosaurs.”

The finds were discovered by the Stamford and District Geological Society over a six month period at a building site operated by CEMEX.

It will now be cleaned and pieced together by experts before the Pliosaur forms an exhibition being installed at the museum later this year.

Councillor Elaine Marper, cabinet member for North Lincolnshire Museum, said: “We are over the moon to be able to have this prehistoric sea monster on display.

“This is a rare find and to have fossilised remains stay in North Lincolnshire and go on display for the public is a real feat.

“We are really excited for everyone to see the Pliosaur. It’s not every day you get to see remains of a creature that lived around 75 million years ago.”