Remarkably Preserved Pliosaur Skull Unearthed High on UK Cliff

An enormous pliosaur skull dating back approximately 150 million years has been officially recognized by the Guinness World Records for its extraordinary preservation. Discovered along the Jurassic Coast of England, the fossil, dubbed SeaRex, ranks among the most intact specimens ever found. Researchers have described it as an exceptionally rare occurrence, with some labeling it a “once-in-a-billion” discovery.

What sets this find apart is the challenging location from which it was recovered. The skull was embedded high up on a cliff face, far from the usual controlled excavation sites. Scientists also suspect that additional parts of the skeleton remain concealed within the surrounding rock.

Nearly Entire Skull Remains Intact

The SeaRex skull is estimated to be about 95 percent intact, preserving nearly all of its original bone structure. It contains roughly 130 sharp teeth, still perfectly interlocked, reflecting the arrangement from millions of years ago. According to the Guinness World Records, this specimen represents the most fully preserved skull of its kind ever documented.

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Dr. Judyth Sassoon of the University of Bristol noted she had never observed such a well-maintained Kimmeridgian pliosaur fossil. She remarked:

“It contains a lot of anatomical details in a single specimen that are only found partially preserved in other specimens.”

The fossilized SeaRex skull, recovered from a cliff and now recognized as a world-record specimen. Credit: Guinness World Records

From Beach Find to Cliffside Discovery

Initial indications of the fossil’s significance came when a fossil enthusiast named Phil Jacobs spotted part of a snout washed up on a Dorset beach. He recorded footage and shared it with Steve Etches, a celebrated fossil collector and founder of the Etches Collection, who quickly realized its importance. Subsequent drone surveys located the remainder of the skull lodged approximately 12 meters up a steep cliff.

“It didn’t take very long to actually locate where the thing was, but it was right in the middle of a cliff. And you think, ‘Oh God.’ You look on these programs and they’re in a quarry and it’s dead easy, and they have their cups of tea and they brush away.”

Retrieving the skull involved descending steep rock faces using ropes to confirm its condition. Etches explained that the skull was preserved upside down, which initially made its features appear unusual. He also emphasized that the excavation was far more demanding than the relaxed portrayals often seen in documentaries.

Illustration depicting a pliosaur preying on an ichthyosaur during the Jurassic era. Credit: Guinness World Records

Even David Attenborough Was Amazed

The immense size of the skull captured the attention of Sir David Attenborough, who featured the discovery in a BBC documentary. He remarked on how huge the skull was, sharing that he hadn’t fully grasped its scale until seeing it in person.

“That is one of the biggest skulls you’ve ever seen,” he said. “I mean, it’s huge and so although I was aware of the tip that was first discovered I hadn’t fully appreciated how big the whole head would be and it’s enormous. Sheer scale was what first impressed me.”

Measuring roughly 2 meters (6 feet) in length, the skull belonged to a formidable marine predator with a bite force potentially comparable to that of a Tyrannosaurus rex. Fossil expert Chris Moore has identified additional fossilized bones nearby, including vertebrae and limb bones.

“We took out part of the shoulder blade, some paddle digits and some of the vertebrae, that were inside of the head and you could see there were more bones going in. So, I’m sure the whole animal is there.”