Pregnant prehistoric fossil discovered from United Press International covers a new species named “Ping Pong Ichthyosaur” for the spot where the fossils were stored for 25 years — under a ping pong table!

The fossils were collected decades ago in Canada’s Northwest Territories and somehow ended up stored under a ping pong table in the science undergraduate lab at the University Of Alberta.
Paleontologist Michael Caldwell arrived at the university in 2000, found the fossils and began working with them. At least one had embryos within it.

See also Pregnant prehistoric fossil offers clues to past, a press release from the university with more details. It also notes that this is the new species I previously posted about in New Ichthyosaur Species, Maiaspondylus, Discovered. Ping Pong is the common name.

You’ll find some discussion of the discovery over here at The Esoteric Science Resource Center.