Project DIG is a partnership between Queensland Museum, BHP and BMA to transform how we store, explore and share our collections and research with communities worldwide.
Stay up to date with Project DIG #ProjectDIGQM #qldmuseum.
Cretaceous marine reptiles of Queensland
Rare new fossil find from Western Queensland
Queensland Museum palaeontologists have uncovered Australia’s first head and associated body of a 100-million-year-old long-necked marine reptile.
The team of palaeontologists led by Dr Espen Knutsen recently travelled to the Western Queensland site to collect the fossil of the elasmosaur, which is a plesiosaur that co-existed with dinosaurs during the early Cretaceous period. It is rare to find a preserved head and body together as these fragments are usually separated after death due to the long slender neck of this animal.
Several other specimens including fragments from an ichthyosaur were also collected and will be transported to Queensland Museum Tropics in Townsville for further research. The discovery of these specimens combined with modern analytical methodologies may hold the key to unraveling the diversity and evolution of marine reptiles in Cretaceous Australia.
Discovering the Rosetta Stone of marine palaeontology
During the Early Cretaceous period (~100 mya) much of Queensland was covered in a vast, shallow sea. The fossil remains of the animals, including marine reptiles such as plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs, are commonly found at numerous localities across the state. Due to a long collection history, a significant amount of material is already present in museum collections but remains largely undescribed or understudied.
Queensland Museum Senior Curator, Dr Espen Knutsen and his team are conducting further research to paint a comprehensive picture of Cretaceous marine reptiles from Queensland, the environment they lived in and how these creatures have changed over time.
Digitising Cretaceous marine reptiles with Dr Espen Knutsen
Project outcomes
- Document and interpret important undescribed museum materials.
- Develop 3D models of important marine reptile specimens from the State Collection and their localities.
- Complete targeted field programs to collect further marine reptile remains to fill gaps in our knowledge of marine reptile diversity and evolution during the Early Cretaceous.
- CT scan data for marine reptiles in the State Collection.
- Provide relative and absolute dating of collected faunas.
- Identify changes in marine reptile fauna over time.
- Provide public access to 3D models through Queensland Museum’s Sketchfab page.
This research is conducted in collaboration with James Cook University and Traditional Owners.
Supported by
You might be interested in
Projects
Find out more about some of our long-term Collections & Research projects.
Project DIG
Discover how Project DIG unlocked knowledge held in our State Collection for visitors and researchers worldwide.
Research projects
Project DIG delivers innovative research projects that allow digital exploration, revealing new and exciting information for scientists, experts and leaders worldwide.