CNN —Scientists have discovered a 246 million-year-old marine reptile fossil, the oldest of its kind to be found in the Southern Hemisphere, shining a new light on the early evolution of marine mammals. Sauropterygians were ancient aquatic reptiles that existed for around 180 million years during the Mesozoic era, 251 to 66 million years ago. However, their early evolution had only been known from fossils found in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the study published in the journal Current Biology Monday. Many fossils are being found all the time, and this material was deposited in New Zealand’s National Paleontological Collection, Kear said. The study suggests these ancient marine reptiles were going around Earth’s poles, swimming all the way around the supercontinent as a continuous coastal highway, Kear said.

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Persons: Benjamin Kear, ” Kear, Earth’s, Mount, Kear, Robert Ewan Fordyce, …, Nothosaurs, sauropterygians, ”, “ Organizations: CNN —, Southern, Northern, Uppsala University’s Museum, Evolution, CNN, Mount Harper Locations: Europe, China, Wyoming, United States, British Colombia, Canada, Uppsala, Sweden, New Zealand, New, Southern, Svalbard, Norwegian