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3mo ago

Traskasaura sandrae Named as New Genus, Resolving 40-Year Fossil Mystery

The 12-meter elasmosaur, identified through new findings, showcases unique traits and a rare hunting style, solidifying its place as British Columbia's official fossil emblem.

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Museum display of Traskasaura in The Courtenay and District Museum and Palaeontology Centre.
British Columbia officially designated a large, fierce-looking marine reptile with a mouthful of pointy teeth that made its home about 80 million years ago in Vancouver Island waters as the province's official fossil emblem. A fossil of a Puntledge River elasmosaur is shown at the Museum and Palaeontology Centre in Courtenay, B.C., in this undated handout photo.
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Overview

  • The newly named Traskasaura sandrae, a 12-meter-long elasmosaur, was officially recognized in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology on May 23, 2025.
  • Fossils from Vancouver Island, first discovered in 1988, were reexamined with a well-preserved juvenile skeleton found in 2020, enabling definitive classification.
  • Traskasaura sandrae exhibited a unique mix of primitive and derived traits, including heavy crushing teeth and a downward-opening shoulder structure.
  • Researchers suggest the marine reptile was among the first plesiosaurs to hunt by diving from above, preying on ammonites with its robust teeth.
  • The genus honors Michael and Heather Trask, who discovered the holotype, while the species name commemorates Sandra Lee O’Keefe’s battle against breast cancer.