The first record of Jurasic Vertebrate fossil bone was discovered in Vietnam

The fossil was exposed on the cliffs of thin-bedded, weathered gray siltstone with interbeds of thin to medium-bedded, dark gray to greenish-gray siltstone, and sandstone of the Dray Linh Formation (J1 dl). The fossil bone is near-cylindrical about 10 cm long, with a diameter of 1.8-2.0 cm, broken into two parts but still attached with an obvious internal structure.

We have collected many fossils of ammonites and bivalves in layers of siltstone, fine-grained sandstone lying above and below the siltstone layer contain fossil bone above. On that basis, there are some initial observations follows:

- The shape and internal structure of the fossil specimen indicate that it may be part of a vertebrate skeleton. Although the fossil was found in good preservation, however, only one bone specimen with limited morphological characteristics made it difficult to identify.

- This is the first record of Jurasic vertebrate fossil bone (possibly fossil bone of marine reptile) that has been discovered in the early Jurassic marine sediments, about 201 to 174 million years ago. This discovery creates a significant premise for the expansion of research so that we can continue to discover vertebrate fossils in Vietnam, specifically the Jurassic strata.

Currently, the fossil bone specimen is being researched by Japanese and Vietnamese paleontologists.

Overview of the outcrop and location where fossil bone of Vertebrates was discovered

Showing fossil bone in the siltstone of the Dray Linh Formation (J1 dl)

News: Doan Dinh Hung, Nguyen Ba Hung, The Vietnam National Museum of Nature, VAST