Dearcmhara shawcrossi, technically a marine reptile and not a dinosaur, is the first prehistoric aquatic species that's uniquely Scottish (Credit: Todd Marshall/PA) Researchers have verified fossil evidence of a massive sea beast that swam off the coasts of Scotland. And, no, this has nothing to do with the Loch Ness Monster. Or does it? After compiling fossil fragments collected over the past 50 years from Scotland’s Isle of Skye, paleontologists have identified a new species of marine reptile that was 14 feet long, lived 170 million years ago, and looked like a cross between an alligator and a dolphin. It’s the first marine reptile from Scotland to be discovered, studied and added to the scientific record, and it goes by the name Dearcmhara shawcrossi.
The Isle of Skye essentially serves as Scotland’s dinosaur treasure trove; it’s even called “Scotland’s Dinosaur Isle.” Although fossils are rare here, what is discovered makes ...
