Fossils Donated by amateur collectors have helped experts to identify a previously unknown species!!
A large group of researchers led by the University of Edinburgh have been looking at fossils found in Scotland.
Fossils of the new species were discovered more than 50 years ago on the isle of Skye by Brian Shawcross. Ichthyosaur, which were creatures similar to dolphins. They lived in the sea and ate fish and small reptiles. This creature lived 170 MILLION YEARS AGO !!!!! At that time the Isle of Skye was joined on to the rest of the UK.
In honour of its finder, the species was named in the Scottish Journal of Geology as Dearcmhara shawcrossi. ( The first part is Scottish Gaelic for marine lizard )
