Fossils found in Somerset by girl, 11, 'may be of largest-ever marine reptile'

Article says: Justin Reynolds and his daughter Ruby. I'm sure Dad is proud and all and doesn't mind being left out of the headline, but it does make it a bit click-bait-y

This makes Ruby a modern-day, Mary Anning, combing the beach and discovering ichthyosaur fossils.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Anning

Who gets naming rights in these cases? If I find a fossil, but some other scientist classifies it, do I still get rights to name it? Is there a legal framework around this, or is it just whoever has the biggest ego wins?

My family lives down near Blue Anchor and we visit the beaches there most years. The cliffs are absolutely packed with fossils. My kids love it.

> The team have named the species Ichthyotitan severnensis, meaning “giant fish lizard of the Severn”.

I wonder what part of that they think means "lizard".

I wonder how many times people have unknowingly come across fossils of unknown species and use them as paper weights, book-ends, or skipping stones.

A young girl, Ruby Reynolds (alliterative name), makes a large scientific discovery.

...This is how comic hero backstories start.

I look forward to Dinogirl or whatever (far better) name she comes up with!

I hope this puts the claims that the "blue whale is the largest animal to ever live" to rest. We simply do not know.

Looking at those objects on the table, I would never think they were bone fossils if I found them

I hope she gets to name it!