Experts find a new species of Cretaceous sea monster: this is what Traskasaura looked like

The elasmosaurids were a genus of dinosaurs that lived during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now the United States. These were large marine reptiles known for their exceptionally long necks. Now, a new species of this genus has been described based on a group of fossils.

It is a very peculiar new genus of these marine monsters from the Cretaceous era, very different from those known until now. The discovery, published in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology, concludes that this marine animal could reach up to twelve meters in length and had sharp, heavy teeth used to crush its prey.

The Traskasaura sandrae, as it has been named (in honor of Michael and Heather Trask, who discovered the fossil, and Sandra Lee O’Keefe, a member of the expert team), also has a strange combination of primitive traits not seen in any other elasmosaurid species. This enabled it to catch prey from above, possibly being the first to do so. Its long neck had at least 36 vertebrae, indicating it had, at minimum, 50 bones.

The discovery, however, does not clarify much about its behavior. But according to the expert, its "fascinating and long list of autapomorphic characters" suggests it had a great ability to swim downwards, which helped it hunt prey from above. Among its prey were ammonites, “a good candidate due to Traskasaura’s robust teeth, ideal for crushing their shells.”

Other Traskasaura fossils

But this is not the first time science has come across fossils of these animals. The first Traskasaura fossil was discovered in Late Cretaceous rocks in 1988 at the Puntledge River on Vancouver Island. Since then, additional finds have been made: an isolated right humerus and a juvenile skeleton composed of the thorax, girdles, and limbs. According to the study, there are now three animals in this collection, all found in the Haslam Formation of Vancouver.

These fossils were first described in 2002 and recently became famous after being adopted by the province of British Columbia as the official fossil emblem. “Plesiosaur fossils have been known for decades in British Columbia,” explains the study’s author, Professor F. Robin O’Keefe from Marshall University.

Until now, however, a veil of mystery surrounded this species. “The identity of the animal that left the fossils has remained a mystery. Our research finally solves it. The confusion around this taxon is understandable. It presents a very strange mix of primitive traits. The shoulder is unlike any other plesiosaur I’ve seen, and I’ve seen several,” summarizes the expert.

Thus, O’Keefe states that the Pacific Northwest may have a Mesozoic reptile to call its own. “A region known today for its rich marine life once housed strange and wonderful marine reptiles in the dinosaur era,” he concludes. At first, experts were reluctant to name it a new species, but with the new, excellently preserved skeleton, doubts have been dispelled.

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