Nessie Down Under

Posted by Jodee Redmond Aug 1, 2006

I know it seems difficult to picture now, but at one point the Australian outback was an inland sea. Scientists have recently discovered two new species of plesiosaur, which they have named Umoonasaurus and Opallionectes. Fossilized remains of these two species were found in South Australia near the town of Coober Pedy.

The Opallionectes is the larger of the two, measuring six metres in length. The Umoonasaurus was smaller at 2.4 metres in length. It had four flippers, a small tail, a long neck, and a crest made of three ridges on its skull.

No word yet on whether any living specimens have been spotted.