The remains of the first known ichthyosaur were discovered on the Arctic island of Svalbard by a group of paleontologists from Norway and Sweden. A description of the discovery appeared in the journal Current Biology.
Scientists have found fossils near hunting cabins on the southern shore of the Icefjord. The discovery changed the attitude of researchers towards these creatures. An analysis of the vertebrae showed that ichthyosaurs led an exclusively oceanic lifestyle, writes planet today .
Recall that ichthyosaurs are an extinct group of marine reptiles whose shape resembled modern whales. Before the discovery of the remains in Svalbard, scientists assumed that ichthyosaurs were able to move on land.
