More than 180 Jurassic fish fossils have been found in England

Researchers have found fossilized remains of fish. IchthyosaursSquid, insects and other period animals Jurassic On a farm in England. More than 180 specimens dating back 183 million years have been found.

One Fossils Special attention of scientists: the head of the fish, preserved in three-dimensional form. Fish stuffy Fossils are usually found “flat,” but this one seemed to stick out of the rock. The fish is an extinct species Pachycormusand it was very well preserved, still with soft tissues, scales, and a the eye – The researchers described this as a unique finding.

The scientists were so impressed that they contacted a company that creates digital 3D models of fossils to create an interactive image of the fish and examine it better and closer.

The part of England where the farm is located was, at one point, submerged in a shallow tropical sea – the sediments brought in may have helped preserve the fossils. When the fish died, they sank, and like other fossils, minerals from the seafloor continued to replace the original structure of the bones and teeth. According to the excavation team, it appears to have little or no decay. This meant that once the fish reached the bottom, they were quick Covered by sediment.

During the excavation, a team of eight men used an excavator to dig 80 meters along the edges of the farm, mainly behind the stables. They found several specimens from the Thorcian period (Jurassic period between 183 million and 174 million years ago), among them: Belemnites (extinct) Cephalopods squid-like), ammonites (extinct shelled cephalopods), Two tails And Snailsas well as fish and other marine animals.

The team highlighted the importance of comparing the findings with other fossil sites representing the era. They plan to continue analyzing the samples and are in the process of publishing the results. Meanwhile, a selection of fossils will be on display at the museum at The Park in Stroud.