A dolphin-sized monster that swam the oceans 185 million years ago has been identified as a new species dubbed the “sword dragon.” The near-complete fossil was discovered by hunter Chris Moore in Golden Cap, Dorset, U.K., in 2001. It is a type of ichthyosaur, a marine reptile that is distinct from dinosaurs. Officially named Xiphodracon goldencapensis, analysis of the remains has been published in a new paper, the BBC reports. Researchers noted that the beast likely died a grisly death from massive damage to the head. “The skull appears to have been bitten by a large predator—likely another much larger species of ichthyosaur—giving us a cause of death,” said ichthyosaur expert Dr Dean Lomax. The find is “incredibly rare,” He said, adding it was a “missing piece of the puzzle in the ichthyo

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