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The fossil of a 247-million-year-old giant sea dragon discovered in China could be evidence that more species survived during the world's greatest mass extinction. 

The Nothosaurus zhangi, named after the researcher who discovered the fossil 2008, is described in Nature Scientific Reports as being 22-feet-long.

Its unearthing suggests that other marine creatures recovered more broadly following the event known as the Permian–Triassic - or 'The Great Dying'.

The Nothosaurus zhangi, named after the researcher who discovered the fossil 2008, is described in Nature Scientific Reports as being 22-feet-long. It could be evidence more species after 'The Great Dying'

The fang-teethed creature would look similar to this and would have roamed the seas around China as many as 250million years ago 

It occurred around 250 million years ago and was the worst extinction event of all time killing off 96 per cent of species. 

Today, all life on Earth is descended from the remaining four per cent of species that survived. 

It is unknown what triggered the wipe-out - but some scientists have blamed it on a volcanic eruption.  

The creature is part of the Sauropterygia, a group of aquatic reptiles in the Triassic period (era lasting from 250million to 0.25million years ago) that evolved from ancestors living in the Permian period - which began 299 million years ago

The disocvery was one of 22,000 found during a research project in China into how life recovered following the world's largest mass extinction 

Among the findings were a number of marine species - including shellfish - that were alive during the Triassic period which began 250million years ago 

A large number of the species in the Permian era died out, with some only recovering in certain areas. But scientists believe the finding suggests recovery is 'globally synchronous'. 

Jun Liu, one of the paper's authors, told CBS: 'The huge size is definitely the most apparent feature of this predator. 

'They would eat anything they could catch, including large fishes and other marine reptiles at the time.'

The associated professor at Hefei University of Technology added: 'This predator is in the top of the prehistoric food web. Modern leopard seals from Antarctic might be an appropriate analogue for this giant predator from the ecological perspective.'

The fossil was one of 20,000 found on a mountain in China - including shellfish and pre-historic creatures - that revealed how life recovered after the worldwide extinction.  

This beaked creature was also found during the project. Around 94 per cent of the species in the Permian era (which began 290million years ago died out) during 'The Great Dying'

Research revealed in October suggested there is evidence of a major marine extinction in the Arctic just eight million years before the Great Dying.

An extinction event around this time has been the subject of previous studies, but this is the first to document the event in high latitudes.

'One of the pre-requisites for a "mass extinction" is that it has to be a global event,' Professor David Bond from the University of Hull told MailOnline. 

According to the history books, five mass extinctions have devastated the planet since it formed 4.6 billion years ago. 

EARTH'S 'BIG FIVE' MASS EXTINCTION EVENTS 

Ordovician-Silurian mass extinction - 443.4 million years ago

This was the third largest extinction in Earth's history, and had two peaks of dying separated by hundreds of thousands of years. Around 26 per cent of all marine families were wiped out and 60 per cent of all genera - an estimated 82-88 per cent of all species.

Late Devonian mass extinction - 375-359 million years ago

Three quarters of all species on Earth died out in the Late Devonian mass extinction, though it may have been a series of extinctions over several million years. Around 22 per cent of all marine families, and 57 per cent of all genera were wiped out - an estimated 79-87 per cent of all species.

Many of the archaeological digs took place on this mountain

Permian mass extinction - 252 million years ago

The Permian mass extinction has been nicknamed The Great Dying, since an incredible 96 per cent of species died out. All life on Earth today is descended from the 4 per cent of species that survived.

Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction - 201 million years ago

There were two or three phases of extinction that made up the Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction event. 22 per cent of all marine families and 53 per cent of all genera - an estimated 76-84 per cent of all species.

Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction - 66 million years ago

The Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction was the event that wiped out the dinosaurs. However, many other organisms perished including 16 per cent of all marine families and 47 per cent of all genera - an estimated 71-81 per cent of all species.