Marine reptiles
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Ichthyosaurus. (2022). In Q-files Encyclopedia, Prehistoric, Marine reptiles. Retrieved from
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"Ichthyosaurus." Prehistoric, Marine reptiles, Q-files Encyclopedia, 10 Feb. 2022.
https://www.q-files.com/prehistoric/marine-reptiles/ichthyosaurus.
Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Ichthyosaurus 2022. Prehistoric, Marine reptiles. Retrieved 19 March 2024, from
https://www.q-files.com/prehistoric/marine-reptiles/ichthyosaurus
Prehistoric, Marine reptiles, s.v. "Ichthyosaurus," accessed March 19, 2024.
https://www.q-files.com/prehistoric/marine-reptiles/ichthyosaurus
Ichthyosaurus
Ichthyosaurus was a marine reptile that lived during the Early Jurassic Period. The name Ichthyosaurus means “fish lizard”, with its close relatives forming the ichthyosaur family. Its body was similar in shape to that of a dolphin. It had a slim, pointed snout, fish-like tail, two sets of flippers and a dorsal fin. The front flippers were twice the size of the back ones, with five “fingers” inside each of them. Its nostrils were set far back on its snout near its eyes. Its teeth were conical in shape. Ichthyosaurus’s main method of finding prey would have been by using its exceptional vision.
Fossils
Several hundred complete fossils of Ichthyosaurus have been found, many in perfect condition. They show the structure of the fingers and toes inside its flippers. Some are of pregnant mothers, revealing even the bones of their babies inside. A few were fossilized during the birth process itself. The fossils show that they normally only had two babies, although some had as many as 11. Ichthyosaurus's young were born live and emerged from the mother’s body tail first, just as whale calves do today. They could swim immediately after birth.
The ichthyosaur family
Members of the ichthyosaur family varied greatly in size. Mixosaurus was just 1 metre (3.3 feet) long with an eel-like tail. Shonisaurus, by contrast, was a whale-like creature more than 20 metres (67 feet) long. Temnodontosaurus was an ichthyosaur from the Early Jurassic. A massive animal, it grew to more than 12 metres (40 feet) in length. It used its great strength and stamina to dive deep for its prey. Eurhinosaurus’s upper jaw was long and narrow. It had many sidewards-pointing teeth.
Ammonites
Ammonites were sea creatures related to squid and octopuses that had a shell like a snail's. They were predators themselves, snaring tiny prey with their long tentacles. They were also the favourite food of ichthyosaurs. Ammonites were found in abundance in the seas from the Late Triassic until the extinction of dinosaurs and marine reptiles 66 million years ago.
Facts about Ichthyosaurus
Pronunciation: ICK-thee-oh-SAW-rus
Size: About 2 m (6.6 ft) long
Where and when: Surface waters in seas off Europe, Greenland and North America, 200–190 million years ago (Early Jurassic)
Diet: Fish, shellfish, ammonites
Predators: Giant pliosaurs, such as Liopleurodon
Features: Large eyes for spotting prey; sensitive hearing for picking up vibrations underwater; streamlined body and powerful tail for fast locomotion—up to 40 km/h (25 mph)
Relatives: Other ichthyosaurs, including Mixosaurus, Shonisaurus, Temnodontosaurus, Eurhinosaurus and Ophthalmosaurus
Consultant: Chris Jarvis