'Loch Ness monster' dinosaur fossil found in Alaska

Telegraph ^ | August 7, 2015

[NYer]

Elasmosaurs had extremely long necks, small heads and paddle-shaped limbs for swimming Photo: Nobu Tamura

Researchers in Alaska have uncovered the bones of a prehistoric marine reptile dating back 70 million years.

This is the first time an elasmosaur has ever been unearthed in this state. Its vertebrae were discovered embedded in an eroding cliff.

Curvin Metzler (left) and Dr Patrick Druckenmiller on the cliff face where the elasmosaur was discovered  Photo: University of Alaska Museum of the North

Elasmosaurs had extremely long necks, small heads and paddle-shaped limbs for swimming.

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There are many theories to explain the length of its neck, but most believe it was to help with feeding.

A neck vertebra exposed in the cliff face (upper right)  Photo: University of Alaska Museum of the North

Researchers are hopeful the find will provide new information.

Patrick Druckenmiller, Associate Professor at the University of Alaska Museum of the North, said: “If you think of the Loch Ness Monster, that mythical creature’s body was based on the elasmosaur.”

[NYer]

Ping!

[GeronL]

cool

looks like its the side of a mountain now.

[FredZarguna]

This is the Loch Ness Monster:

What most people don't know is that the scale of the image estimated by experts puts the length of the creature's neck between 12 and 24 inches.

That makes this famous photograph a picture of a duck.

[TigersEye]

Even a dinosaur can go on to be something greater ... in America!

[Cowboy Bob]

A rock climbing dinosaur? Cool!

[sparklite2]

An stealthy feeder was the elasmosaur,
whose body was here and his mouth over thar.

[reed13k]

that would make it a ra-piton :)

[MNDude]

“If you think of the Loch Ness Monster, that mythical creature’s body”

No media bias there! \s

[dfwgator]

[sauropod]

“What else floats besides a witch?”

“A duck!”

[lowbridge]

Or a toy submarine

http://www.unmuseum.org/mob/nesshoax.htm

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks NYer.

[GreyFriar]

I have a vague memory of there being a claim that Lake Champlain had its own “Nessie” monster.

[Sirius Lee]

I have a vague memory of there being a claim that Lake Champlain had its own “Nessie” monster.

Champ. http://champmonster.com/

[GreyFriar]

Thank you. Its nice to know that I still have some accurate memories. ;-)

[exit82]

You have a good memory:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champ_(cryptozoology)

It even has a name: Champ

[Sirius Lee]

That makes this famous photograph a picture of a duck.

It was a hoax, not a duck. It was a small model. Robert Kenneth Wilson, who took the photo in 1934 admitted near the end of his life that it was something he and a friend rigged onto a toy submarine he bought from Woolworth's.