Massive skull of prehistoric pliosaur creature unveiled in Dorset

A giant sea monster skull discovered on the Jurassic Coast is set to go on display. The 2-meter-long fossil belongs to a fearsome predator known as a pliosaur and dates back 150 million years. The public can view the ancient marine reptile at the Etches Collection in Kimmeridge, Dorset, near where it was found. There is hope that the rest of the creature's skeleton, potentially still buried in the eroding cliffs, will also be recovered. The pliosaur's snout was initially found on a beach by a fossil enthusiast, and the rest of the skull was extracted from a precarious cliff face by a team using ropes. The specimen is considered one of the most complete ever found and is remarkably preserved. With its huge crocodile-like jaw packed with razor-sharp teeth and powerful muscles, the pliosaur is thought to have had a bite force similar to that of a T. Rex, earning it the nickname "sea rex". Growing up to 12 meters long, the ancient reptile would have been a swift predator, devouring its prey without bothering to chew. Researchers are not only interested in the public's fascination with this prehistoric creature but also keen to study its unique features, such as a high head crest that suggests it may be a previously unknown species. With the fast-eroding coastline threatening to destroy any remaining parts of the pliosaur's body, the effort to save the skeleton is seen as a race against time. Steve Etches, the leader in the extraction and preparation of the fossil, is determined to recover the rest of the creature before it is lost to the sea forever.