FOSSIL NEWS ... A six metre long ‘young’ Elasmosaur from the mid Cretaceous Period has been discovered at McKinlay, near Cloncurry in Western Queensland. This discovery is ABSOLUTELY unique – the head and body were found together - which will help us to better understand these huge predators. What an amazing find! The discovery was made by three local graziers who are fossil enthusiasts and who have been dubbed the “rock chicks’. The trio are collaboratively helping palaeontologists from the Museum of Tropical Queensland to make these important strides in our knowledge of the Cretaceous marine environment.
The Elasmosaur is a genus of Plesiosaur, one of the apex predators of the Australia’s Cretaceous inland seas. Several other Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs were recovered on the trip to uncover and extract the Elasmosaur.
For those of you who just can't get enough of our diverse Cretaceous history, book a trip along the Australian Dinosaur Trail and then head down to the Australian Opal Centre in Lightning Ridge to see the only opalized Cretaceous fossils in Australia! It's worth the trip, and you'll be contributing to the recovery of our valuable regional centres.
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-07/ ... /101735306