94-Million-Year-Old Marine Reptile Unearthed in a Utah Dig: Sarabosaurus Dahli

A 94-million-year-old marine reptile was discovered during an archaeological dig in Utah.

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University of North Florida faculty member Dr. Barry Albright and a research team from the Bureau of Land Management were collaborating.

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They were digging in the National Park Service Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in southern Utah.

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The fossil of a mosasaur, a Cretaceous Period marine reptile, was found.

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Trained volunteer Scott Richardson discovered skull fragments and vertebrae of the early mosasaur specimen.

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Dr. Alan Titus, BLM Paria River District paleontologist, led a team that recovered close to 50% of the remains, confirming the mosasaur's identity.

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The specimen was named Sarabosaurus dahli, meaning 'Dahl's reptile of the mirage.

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The discovery of the mosasaur fossil may provide information on the evolution of a small, lizard-like reptile into a top marine predator.

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Dr. Michael J. Polcyn suggests the significance of the mosasaur finding in understanding its evolutionary history.

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