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Skeletons of marine reptiles discovered in eastern Swiss Alps

fossil
The 50 cm-long pachypleurosaurus vaguely resembles aquatic lizards. ©vetsuisse Fakultät - Universität Zürich /foto: Michelle Aimée Oesch

Scientists have found the remains of a new marine reptile species that lived in an ocean that covered eastern Switzerland 240 million years ago.

Skeletons of the 50 cm-long pachypleurosaurus, which vaguely resemble aquatic lizards, were discovered in a rock formation above the mountain resort of Davos.

The Ducan region at 2,740 metres above sea level has yielded a rich fish and reptile fauna, according to the scientists from the University of Zurich.

The skulls of the new species show two characteristics in the bone structure, palaeontologist Torsten Scheyer told the Swiss news agency, Keystone-SDA.

The reptile is believed to have died out as a result of climate change.

A detailed description of their discoveries was published in the Swiss Journal of PalaentologyExternal link.

Fossil finds in Switzerland from the Triassic period are not unusual.

Pachypleurosaur remains were also discovered at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mont San Giorgio in southern Switzerland.

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