Skeletons of the 50 cm-long pachypleurosaurus, which vaguely resemble aquatic lizards, were discovered in a rock formation above the mountain resort of Davos.
The Ducan region at 2,740 metres above sea level has yielded a rich fish and reptile fauna, according to the scientists from the University of Zurich.
The skulls of the new species show two characteristics in the bone structure, palaeontologist Torsten Scheyer told the Swiss news agency, Keystone-SDA.
The reptile is believed to have died out as a result of climate change.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Largest-ever marine reptile tooth discovered in the Swiss Alps
This content was published on
A team of researchers have identified a 10cm long tooth discovered in the Swiss Alps as belonging to a giant marine reptile called the Ichthyosaur.
This content was published on
Experts have been puzzling over the exact role of the Tanystropheus’s elongated neck, which was as long as its body and tail combined. Some theorised that the feature could have given the dinosaur access to tree foliage, much as today’s giraffe. But a team from the University of Zurich says it has proof that the…
This content was published on
The mountain is regarded as the best place for studying fossil marine life from the mid-Triassic period and is believed to have once been part of Africa. It has been a Unesco World Heritage site since 2003. More than a thousand metres above sea level, Monte San Giorgio rises like a pyramid on the southern…
This content was published on
Swiss palaeontologists have discovered a fish jaw featuring rows of reserve teeth with a clever rotating replacement system.
This content was published on
An early example of a therapod – bipedal and carnivorous – dinosaur uncovered in Switzerland belongs to a previously unknown genus and species.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.