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China Unveils 245-Million-Year-Old Marine Reptile with Intact Guts

7/31/2026

Summary

Story summary

A Chinese team announced Austronaga minuta, a 245-million-year-old marine reptile fossil with preserved stomach, liver and intestines.
The 60-cm specimen, recovered in Yunnan in 2023, retains most of its skeleton and visible fish scales.
Scientists say Austronaga is the earliest known stem-archosaur with clear aquatic adaptations, pushing back the marine colonisation of archosaurs.
Its simple intestines resemble those of modern predatory reptiles, showing little change over 245 million years.

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Story summary

A Chinese team announced Austronaga minuta, a 245-million-year-old marine reptile fossil with preserved stomach, liver and intestines.
The 60-cm specimen, recovered in Yunnan in 2023, retains most of its skeleton and visible fish scales.
Scientists say Austronaga is the earliest known stem-archosaur with clear aquatic adaptations, pushing back the marine colonisation of archosaurs.
Its simple intestines resemble those of modern predatory reptiles, showing little change over 245 million years.