Does Loch Ness hold a large animal unknown to science?
Answered: No large unknown animal lives in the loch; occasional large visitors (seals) and known species account for…Passed its tests and review.
Where it stands
Four answers have been proposed. No large unknown animal lives in the loch; occasional large visitors (seals) and known species account for… leads, with evidence 3 for, 1 against: supported by its tests. Three are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet.
Answers 4
History
- Scott & Rines: scott and Rines named the animal Nessiteras rhombopteryx on the basis of underwater photographs.For: A population of large reptiles, such as a surviving plesiosaur lineage, lives in the loch.
- Paxton puts forward: a population of large reptiles, such as a surviving plesiosaur lineage, lives in the loch.
- Paxton: about 20 per cent of reports mention a neck; under 1 per cent describe a reptilian or scaly animal.Against: A population of large reptiles, such as a surviving plesiosaur lineage, lives in the loch.
- Smith puts forward: no large unknown animal lives in the loch; occasional large visitors (seals) and known species account for…
- Foxon: the chance of a 1 m eel in the loch is about 1 in 50,000; of one over 6 m, essentially zero.Against: The loch holds exceptionally large eels, of a size not recorded elsewhere.
- Illumina puts forward: the loch holds exceptionally large eels, of a size not recorded elsewhere.
- Illumina: the 2018 eDNA survey found no reptile DNA and identified all 13 known fish species.For: No large unknown animal lives in the loch; occasional large visitors (seals) and known species account for…
- Illumina: no reptile DNA was found in about 250 samples.Against: A population of large reptiles, such as a surviving plesiosaur lineage, lives in the loch.
- Illumina: eel DNA was found at every sampling site, and Gemmell could not rule out giant eels.For: The loch holds exceptionally large eels, of a size not recorded elsewhere.
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