Italian researchers have found the skeleton of a 33-footprehistoric whale in the Tuscan countryside, a discovery that could shed lighton the ancient environment of the sea, officials said.

The skeleton dates to 4 million years ago, to the Pliocene epoch, saidpaleontologists with the Museum of Natural History in Florence who are studying the fossil.

"The finding is spectacular," said Elisabetta Cioppi, an officialin the museum's paleontology department and the coordinator of the excavations.Cioppi pointed to the fact that the skeleton is complete and a variety oforganisms were found around the fossil as well.

"This will enable us to conduct an in-depth analysis on the paleoenvironment," she said in a statement.

The skeleton was found a few weeks ago in Orciano Pisano, in the countrysideabout 50 miles west of Florence and 6 miles eastof the Mediterranean. It was found about 100yards below ground in what used to be the sea occupying most of today's Tuscany, the statementsaid.

The fossil is expected to be taken to the Museumof Natural History in Florence and put on display once it isrestored.