Goodbye to the myth that Tanystropheus hunted on land: CT scans suggest a stranger life in the sea

Among the prehistoric creatures that have baffled paleontologists, the Tanystropheus, whose elongated neck made it seem biologically impossible at first glance due to its incredible length relative to the rest of the creature’s body, was probably the most confusing. This debate, which started soon after the identification of the animal’s fossils in the nineteenth century, centered on the question of whether it lived on land or in water, but the available information was not sufficient enough for scientists to draw any definitive conclusions, as many fossils of its skull had flattened out over the ages.

The issue was not the lack of curiosity, since it was exactly the creature's peculiar anatomy that had sparked interest in studying it for decades. The vertebrae in the creature's neck were incredibly elongated, which made it look very unusual compared to any living animal. However, the creature's anatomical oddities also made studying it difficult, as it was based on partial and deformed fossils. As a Field Museum news release reports, scientists used computed tomography to visualize the inner structure of the creature’s skull, which was concealed beneath the fossil's surface.

The skull evidence began pointing much more strongly toward marine hunting

As scientists gained a clearer idea of what Tanystropheus’ head looked like through CT scans, it became increasingly hard to believe the previous theory that placed the species primarily on land. “It’s really about the shape of the skull,” according to the study in Current Biology. "That shape was much more reminiscent of an aquatic ambush predator rather than terrestrial reptiles that walk around on the ground," explains the report. This is extremely important because skull shape is central to discussions of feeding habits.


It was established that the large Tanystropheus had sharp, interlocking teeth, along with features on its head indicating it caught slippery animals such as fish. The long neck was also better explained in the context of shallow-marine environments because it would not need to move to capture prey quickly at a distance. As reported by Science Magazine, it was suggested that the creature hunted like an ambush hunter in marine environments rather than lumbering around on dry land with such an awkwardly long neck. This shift in perspective changed more than just where people thought the animal lived: it altered their entire conception of the creature's behavior and lifestyle. The bizarre reptile was no longer seen as an awkward land creature but rather as one that fit its marine environment better.

The new research also revealed that scientists were studying two species instead of one

This research led to yet another significant transformation, in addition to reinterpreting habitats alone: it turned out that the smaller fossils attributed to Tanystropheus were actually juvenile specimens belonging to another species. As stated in the Field Museum and Current Biology study, bone histology made it clear that smaller fossils had already become adults. It was even more confusing because paleontologists had mistakenly categorized different species under one name for many years due to an error. This finding is quite demonstrative of how much of a difference modern technologies can make in interpreting fossils, because after all, researchers did not make incredible fossil finds but reinterpreted fossils found many years ago.

In the words of the Natural History Museum of London, the marine hypothesis looks quite well-grounded now, although the scientific community is still working to understand how the reptile used its unique neck for foraging. Indeed, even with the addition of all the new evidence, the reptile retains a certain mysterious charm. The CT images did not turn it into an average animal; they simply traded one hypothesis with another that was better substantiated. Scientists considered the reptile's elongated neck while envisioning various habitats for about a hundred years. It was only due to technological advancements that the creature was moved from the terrestrial environment to the coast and into the world of its own making.