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An almost intact skeleton found along the Jurassic Coast has been identified as a new kind of ichthyosaur, a type of prehistoric marine reptile that once dominated the oceans.

This marine creature ichthyosaur has been designated Xiphodracon goldencapensis, or the "blade serpent of Dorset" and represents the sole documented example of its type.

Researchers state that marks on its skull indicate the "blade serpent" may have been fatally wounded by a attack to the head, possibly inflicted by a significantly bigger type of ichthyosaur.

First discovered by a prolific fossil hunter at Golden Cap in Dorset in 2001, the new ichthyosaur was subsequently obtained by a museum in Canada.

It has only recently been fully analyzed by experts and a research document released classifying it as a new species of ichthyosaur.

"I thought long and hard about the name," said ichthyosaur specialist Dr Dean Lomax, who co-authored the study identifying the skeleton as a new species.

"Xiphodracon translates to sword-like dragon and that is in reference to that extremely elongated, sword-like nose, but also the fact that ichthyosaurs have been referred to as sea dragons for about 200 years."

Ancient Marine Life

These creatures are categorized as marine reptiles, rather than dinosaurs, because they lived entirely in the water. The discovered ichthyosaur is thought to have swum the seas about 185 million years ago, a time frame from which extremely rare ichthyosaur remains have been discovered.

"In this period ichthyosaurs are extremely uncommon, and Xiphodracon is the most complete individual ever discovered from there, contributing to close a gap," Dr Lomax said. "It's a missing piece of the puzzle in ichthyosaur development."

Distinctive Features

The "sword dragon" is thought to have been about 3m in length and has multiple features that have never been observed in other types of ichthyosaur.

• Researchers report the most unusual feature is a fork-shaped bone near its nose opening
• Its head has an exceptionally large eye socket
• An extended sword-like nose that it used to eat fish and squid

Existence and Demise

There are also clues as to how this particular specimen existed and perished.

"The limb bones and teeth are abnormally shaped in such a way that points to significant trauma or disease while the creature was still living," stated study co-author Dr Erin Maxwell.

"The skull seems to have been attacked by a large predator - likely another considerably bigger type of ichthyosaur - giving us a reason for demise for this specimen. Life in the Mesozoic oceans was a risky situation."

Discovery and Analysis

This "sword dragon" was discovered in 2001 by paleontology enthusiast Chris Moore and then acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada where it required more than 15 years to be completely studied.

"I don't wish to blow my own ichthyosaur trumpet but I have discovered a number of them," Mr Moore stated.

The actual number he's discovered is somewhere in the region of 15, with several of them, like the "sword dragon", turning out to be previously unknown types.

Mr Moore says he is intending to commemorate the recent finding but has yet to decide exactly how the celebration will take.

"Champagne or a mug of tea, I'm not sure which yet," he commented.

The 'sword dragon' is one of numerous ichthyosaur remains that have been found along Dorset's Jurassic Coast since the initial findings of pioneering palaeontologist Mary Anning in the beginning of the nineteenth century.