"Did 'Nessie' roam Down Under?"

[Allan Edels <edels@msn.com>]

> From Rueters, via CNN.COM:

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Did 'Nessie' roam Down Under?

Evidence of giant marine reptiles swimming around Australia


Wednesday, July 26, 2006; Posted: 1:13 a.m. EDT (05:13 GMT)

SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- Australian scientists have identified two new 
species of ancient marine reptile, similar to the mythical Loch Ness 
monster, that swam in an Australian outback sea 115 million years ago.

The reptiles, named Umoonasaurus and Opallionectes, belonged to the 
Plesiosaurs group which included a "killer whale" type predator of the 
Jurassic period, palaeontologist Benjamin Kear from the University of 
Adelaide said on Wednesday.

Kear, whose team studied 30 opalized fossils mainly from around the outback 
mining town of Coober Pedy in South Australia state, said the long-necked 
marine reptiles swam in the shallow water of an inland sea that once existed 
in central Australia.

Freezing polar water covered large parts of Australia 115 million years ago 
when the island continent was located much closer to Antarctica.

The Umoonasaurus was about 2.4 meters (7.2 feet) long and had three 
crest-like ridges on its skull.
"Imagine a compact body with four flippers, a reasonably long neck, small 
head and short tail, much like a reptilian seal," Kear said in a statement.

The Opallionectes was much larger at six metres (18 feet), with masses of 
needle teeth used to trap small fish and squid.

Kear said most of the fossils found were of juvenile creatures, leading the 
scientists to believe they had discovered a seasonal breeding ground for the 
ancient reptiles.

The Loch Ness monster, sometimes called Nessie, is a mysterious and 
unidentified animal said to live in Loch Ness, a large freshwater lake in 
Scotland. Most scientists and experts say it's a hoax.

Copyright 2006 Reuters.

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Allan Edels