240-Million-Year-Old 'Chinese Dragon' Fossil Unveiled

Scientists reveal Dinocephalosaurus orientalis, a marine reptile with an extraordinarily long neck, shedding light on Triassic ocean life.

Scientists have unveiled a 240-million-year-old 'Chinese dragon' fossil, Dinocephalosaurus orientalis, a long-necked marine reptile from the Triassic period.
The discovery was made by an international team and displayed at the National Museums Scotland, revealing the reptile's unique anatomy for the first time.
Dinocephalosaurus orientalis had an extraordinarily long neck with 32 vertebrae, flippered limbs, and was well adapted to an oceanic lifestyle.
The reptile's long neck likely aided in hunting, allowing it to probe crevices under water for prey, with preserved fishes found in its stomach region.
Despite superficial similarities, Dinocephalosaurus was not closely related to the famous long-necked plesiosaurs, which inspired the myth of the Loch Ness Monster.