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A nearly complete skeleton discovered along the Jurassic Coast has been classified as a new species of ichthyosaur, a variety of prehistoric marine reptile that once dominated the oceans.

This marine creature ichthyosaur has been designated Xiphodracon goldencapensis, or the "sword dragon of Dorset" and represents the sole documented example of its kind.

Scientists state that marks on its skull suggest the "blade serpent" may have been killed by a attack to the head, possibly delivered by a much larger species of ichthyosaur.

Initially found by a prolific fossil collector at Golden Cap in Dorset in 2001, the new ichthyosaur was later obtained by a museum in Canada.

It has only recently been completely studied by specialists and a paper released identifying it as a new species of ichthyosaur.

"I thought long and hard about the name," stated ichthyosaur specialist Dr Dean Lomax, who collaborated on the study classifying the skeleton as a novel type.

"Xiphodracon translates to sword-like dragon and that is in reference to that very long, sword-like snout, but also the reality that ichthyosaurs have been referred to as sea dragons for about 200 years."

Prehistoric Ocean Creatures

These creatures are categorized as marine reptiles, not dinosaurs, because they lived entirely in the water. This particular ichthyosaur is thought to have inhabited the oceans about 185 million years ago, a period from which extremely rare ichthyosaur fossils have been found.

"In this period ichthyosaurs are extremely uncommon, and Xiphodracon is the best preserved individual ever found from there, contributing to close a gap," Dr Lomax said. "It's a missing piece of the puzzle in ichthyosaur evolution."

Distinctive Features

The "sword dragon" is thought to have been about 3m in length and has multiple characteristics that have never been observed in other species of ichthyosaur.

• Scientists say the most unusual feature is a prong-like bone near its nose opening
• The skull has an enormous eye socket
• A long sword-like snout that it used to eat fish and squid

Existence and Demise

Evidence also exists as to how this specific specimen lived and died.

"The limb bones and teeth are malformed in such a way that points to significant trauma or disease while the animal was still alive," stated study contributor Dr Erin Maxwell.

"The skull appears to have been bitten by a sizeable hunter - probably another much larger species of ichthyosaur - giving us a reason for demise for this specimen. Life in the Mesozoic oceans was a dangerous situation."

Finding and Study

This "sword dragon" was discovered in 2001 by fossil hunter Chris Moore and then obtained by the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada where it required more than 15 years to be fully analyzed.

"I don't mean to boast but I have discovered a number of them," Mr Moore stated.

The precise count he's unearthed is somewhere in the region of 15, with multiple of them, including the "sword dragon", turning out to be previously unknown types.

Mr Moore says he is intending to commemorate the new discovery but has not yet determined precisely what form the recognition will take.

"Champagne or a mug of tea, I'm undecided at this moment," he commented.

The 'sword dragon' is among many ichthyosaur remains that have been discovered along Dorset's Jurassic Coast since the initial findings of trailblazing palaeontologist Mary Anning in the early 1800s.