Missouri River Breaks yields fossils from ancient marine predator
Fossilized bones from a plesiosaur, an ancient marine reptile that lived 75 million years ago, have been discovered on public land near Roy in central Montana, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
The vertebra, finger and toe bones, ribs, and parts of fore and hind limbs were found in a remote coulee in late July on BLM land in the Missouri River Breaks east of Roy, BLM spokesman Craig Flentie said Friday.
A full excavation of the site is planned to see if additional bones are below the surface.
Discoveries of plesiosaur fossils are not uncommon in Bearpaw Shale, but finding bones in good condition or discovering full skeletons is rare, said Patrick Druckenmiller, a paleontologist for the University of Alaska Museum in Fairbanks.
The fossils found on BLM lands are in good shape. Druckenmiller said he expects to assist with the excavation to see if additional remains are intact below the surface.