New fossil find points to rapid evolution of marine reptiles after mass extinction

Fossilised skeleton of a toothless animal that lived 247 million years ago opens a window to a time of remarkable diversity on Earth after the 'Great Dying' event

The discovery of a toothless animal with a short snout and a long tail that roamed the seas around 247 million years ago, suggests early marine reptiles evolved more rapidly than previously thought after the the most devastating mass extinction event the planet has ever experienced, scientists have revealed.

Dubbed Sclerocormus parviceps, a name that nods to its rigid body and small skull, the ichthyosauriform was unearthed by fossil hunters in China.