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An almost intact skeleton discovered along the Jurassic Coast has been identified as a new species of ichthyosaur, a type of ancient marine reptile that once dominated the oceans.

The dolphin-sized ichthyosaur has been designated Xiphodracon goldencapensis, or the "sword dragon of Dorset" and represents the sole documented specimen of its kind.

Researchers report that indentations on its cranium suggest the "sword dragon" may have been fatally wounded by a bite to the head, potentially delivered by a significantly bigger type of ichthyosaur.

Initially found by a prolific fossil collector at Golden Cap in Dorset in 2001, the recently identified ichthyosaur was subsequently acquired by a museum in Canada.

It has only recently been completely studied by specialists and a paper published identifying it as a new species of ichthyosaur.

"I thought long and hard about the name," said ichthyosaur specialist Dr Dean Lomax, who collaborated on the paper identifying the fossil as a novel type.

"The name Xiphodracon means sword-like dragon and that is in reference to that extremely elongated, sword-like nose, but also the reality that ichthyosaurs have been referred to as sea dragons for about 200 years."

Prehistoric Ocean Creatures

Ichthyosaurs are classified as marine reptiles, rather than dinosaurs, because they lived entirely in the water. This particular ichthyosaur is believed to have inhabited the oceans about 185 million years ago, a period from which extremely rare ichthyosaur remains have been discovered.

"In this period ichthyosaurs are extremely uncommon, and Xiphodracon is the best preserved individual ever discovered from there, helping to fill a gap," Dr Lomax said. "This represents a crucial element of the mystery in ichthyosaur development."

Distinctive Features

The "sword dragon" is thought to have been about 3m in length and has multiple features that have not been seen in other species of ichthyosaur.

• Scientists say the strangest detail is a fork-shaped bone near its nose opening
• The skull has an enormous eye socket
• An extended sword-like nose that it used to consume fish and squid

Existence and Demise

There are also clues as to how this specific individual lived and died.

"Its fins and dental structure are abnormally shaped in such a way that indicates significant trauma or disease while the creature was still living," said study contributor Dr Erin Maxwell.

"The skull appears to have been bitten by a sizeable hunter - likely a different considerably bigger type of ichthyosaur - giving us a cause of death for this individual. Existence in ancient seas was a dangerous situation."

Discovery and Analysis

The specimen was found in 2001 by fossil hunter Chris Moore and then acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada where it took more than 15 years to be fully analyzed.

"I don't wish to blow my own ichthyosaur trumpet but I have discovered a number of them," Mr Moore stated.

The precise count he's discovered is approximately 15, with multiple of them, like the "sword dragon", turning out to be new species.

Mr Moore says he is planning to celebrate the recent finding but has not yet determined exactly how the recognition will take.

"Champagne or a mug of tea, I'm undecided at this moment," he says.

This remarkable discovery is among many ichthyosaur fossils that have been discovered along Dorset's Jurassic Coast since the first discoveries of trailblazing palaeontologist Mary Anning in the beginning of the nineteenth century.