Before Dinosaurs it was Himalayasaurus

By Gyaneswar Dayal

In the youngest mountain ranges of the Himalayas, which was earlier part of the ocean, scientists have found two types of fish – one prehistoric (even older to Dinosaur) and the other still alive. Both are unique fish, the former has brought cheers as great discovery while the latter, tears since it depletes other local fish populations.

The first one called Himalayasaurus was found in the Tibetan region, the second one known as Alligator fish was found in Dal Lake of Srinagar in Kashmir.
Scientists have discovered two new Himalayasaurus fossil samples near Gangkar about 100 kilometres from Mount Everest. Basically, Himalayasaurus is an extinct genus of ichthyosaur, a large extinct marine reptile from the Late Triassic Qulonggongba Formation of Tibet near Nepal.

This latest discovery will further understand the largest known prehistoric animal found on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and will contribute to the study of the evolution of life in the region during the Mesozoic Era (252-66 million years ago). The Himalayasaurus dominated the sea 210 million years back, before dinosaurs ruled on land. With a long snout, sharp teeth and a length of more than 10 meters, these giant reptiles were fast swimmers and mainly fed on fish and other invertebrates.

Chinese researchers first found fossils of the species in the 1960s during an investigation in the Qomolangma area, which rose from the deep sea due to a collision of tectonic plates. In the most recent discovery, the fossils contain well-preserved vertebrae and ribs, which were rare in previous finds. Scientists will try to find out how did the Himalayasaurus get so big, its habits, distribution and its role in evolution.