A 6 - metre - farseeing ( 20 - foot ) Triassic reptilian with a 3 - metre - long ( 10 - fundament ) neck has been puzzling scientist since it was first described in 1952 . Paleontologists were unsure as to whether the incredibly long - necked animal go in H2O or on body politic , and whether some similar - looking 1.2 - meter ( 4 - base ) animals were related to these 20 - foot giants or a unlike metal money altogether . fortuitously , a new paper issue in the journalCurrent Biologyhas been capable to clear up the mystery story as CT scans of the fossils revealed new grounds .
NamedTanystropheus hydroides , the fogy was once conceive to be that of a fly pterosaur , like a pterodactyl . The theory was fueled by the animal ’s long empty “ phalange ” bones that resemble something that might have tolerate a offstage . However , research worker soon realized their error as it became clear these bones were actually elongated neck bones , similar to those see in giraffes . Once you put all 14 bones together , it revealed an strange animal that was 50:50 body to neck opening . The bones would also have been sturdy as they were reinforced with cervical rib .
Unusual consistence eccentric fasten , the researchers were still no skinny to work out where on Earth this strange tool lived . That was until this new composition employ the aid of a CT - scanner to paint a good picture of the reptilian ’s skull . Retrieved specimens had been oppress , seduce it hard to measure how they looked plainly using the naked optic , but the scan was able to digitally reassemble them .
The process let out that theTanystropheusskull had tell - tale features of a marine beast . It had nostrils on top of its snout much like that of a crocodile , inculpate it spend some time put down in wait for overhaul fish and squid - like animals .
Olivier Rieppel , a palaeontologist at the Field Museum in Chicago and one of the authors on the newspaper , was n’t surprised by the outcome . " That cervix does n’t make sense in a tellurian surroundings , " he said in astatement . " It ’s just an awkward structure to bear around . ”
TheTanystropheus hydroidesspecimens were establish in Switzerland alongside some standardized - search beast that were only 4 feet long . Scientists were again shy if these other specimen were marine or tellurian , or if they were a juvenile stage of the largerT. hydroides . They looked for growth ring in the beast ’ bones , which revealed there were many , indicating they were grownup and not jejune forms ofTanystropheus , but alternatively a whole different species calledT. longobardicus .
" I ’ve been studyingTanystropheusfor over thirty days , ” said Rieppel , “ so it ’s super satisfying to see these creatures demystified . ”
