Scientists have excavated 800 kilos of bones in Svalbard

A research team which has excavated 800 kilos of bones for a project on lizards in Svalbard, has probably found new species.

– I am very happy with the season. This summer we have excavated an incredibly large material of around 800 kg of bones from Flower Valley.

Just the fact that we manage to collect such large quantities of bones from Svalbard’s is one thing that is unique about this lizard digging project,  Jørn Hurum, a paleontologist at the University of Oslo and head of the excavation project, told NRK news.

The project started in 2004 and this summer, scientists have been doing archaeological excavations for two weeks. By 2007 the lizard excavaators found the «Monster lizard from Svalbard” – the world’s largest pliosaur. Now the research team will examine the bones.

– We have probably also found some new species this summer, says Hurum, adding that one of the most interesting findings is a jowl from what may have been a “fish lizard”.

The bones are kept at the Natural History Museum in Oslo.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today