A prehistoric skeleton from the Hunterian collections has been identified as a new species of marine super-predator, distantly related to modern day crocodiles. The research, by the University of Edinburgh, will help scientists better understand how reptiles evolved.

Dr Neil Clark, Palaeontology Curator at The Hunterian, explains: 'It is comforting to know that new species can still be found in museums as new research is carried out on old collections.

'It is not just the new species that are important, but an increase in our understanding of how life evolved and the variety of life forms that existed 163 million years ago in the warm Jurassic seas around what is now Britain.'

An amateur palaeontologist found the specimen in a clay pit near Peterborough in the early 1900s. It is not currently on display as it is part of the museum's study collections, which are among the most important in Scotland.

The story put The Hunterian in the media spotlight with widespread coverage across TV, radio and newspapers including the BBC, Guardian and Scotsman.

First published: 28 January 2013

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