News in Brief Paleontology

Ancient sea creature took to land and sea

Primitive ichthyosaur relative had strong bones, big flippers

skeleton of a marine reptile

AMPHIBIOUS ANCESTOR  The skeleton of a marine reptile newly unearthed in China stretched about as long as a computer keyboard. 

Ryosuke Motani

By Meghan Rosen

- More than 2 years ago

The hefty fossil skeleton of a big-flippered sea creature may bridge the gap between landlubbing and water-dwelling reptiles of the Triassic period.