Ichthyosauria - Prehistoric-Wildlife

Gengasaurus

In Depth Gengasaurus is a genus of ichthyosaur that lived in European waters during the late Jurassic. Further Reading -‭ ‬The first ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur from the Upper Jurassic of the Umbrian-Marchean Apennines‭ (‬Marche,‭ ‬Central Italy‭)‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Geological Magazine‭ ‬154‭(‬4‭)‬:837-858.‭ ‬-‭ ‬I.‭ ‬Paparella,‭ ‬E.‭ ‬E.‭ ‬Maxwell,‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Cipriani,‭ ‬S.‭ ‬Roncace‭ & ‬M.‭ ‬W.‭ ‬Caldwell‭ ‬-‭ ‬2017.

Contectopalatus

In Depth Contectopalatus was originally described as a species of Ichthyosaurus,‭ ‬the type genus of the Ichthyosauria that in the early days of palaeontology was treated as a catch all wastebasket taxon for any and all ichthyosaur fossils.‭ ‬Later study saw Ichthyosaurus atavus assigned to the Mixosaurus genus upon the grounds of overall similarity to … Read more

Excalibosaurus

In Depth The holotype specimen of Excalibosaurus was discovered in‭ ‬1984,‭ ‬and consisted of partial remains of a skull and some of the post cranial skeleton such as ribs,‭ ‬vertebrae,‭ ‬forefin and an incomplete pectoral girdle.‭ ‬When pieced together these remains recreated an individual that was estimated to have been up to four meters long,‭ … Read more

Protoichthyosaurus

In Depth Protoichthyosaurus is a genus of small ichthyosaur that lived during the early Jurassic,‭ ‬though possibly also in the Late Triassic. Further Reading -‭ ‬The affinities of Liassic and later ichthyosaurs.‭ ‬Palaeontology‭ ‬22‭(‬4‭)‬:921-946.‭ ‬-‭ ‬R.‭ ‬M.‭ ‬Appleby‭ ‬-‭ ‬1979. -‭ ‬The taxonomic utility of forefin morphology in Lower Jurassic ichthyosaurs:‭ ‬Protoichthyosaurus and Ichthyosaurus.‭ ‬-‭ … Read more

Thalattoarchon

In Depth Thalattoarchon was a genus of primitive ichthyosaur that stands out as one of the earliest marine reptiles to be an apex predator of large aquatic organisms.‭ ‬What this means is that rather than focusing upon small prey like shoaling fish and squid like smaller ichthyosaurs,‭ ‬Thalattoarchon most probably hunted the smaller ichthyosaurs themselves … Read more

Catutosaurus

In Depth Catutosaurus is a genus of ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur that lived in waters around South America during the late Jurassic.‭ ‬Ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs like Catutosaurus were among the most successful marine reptiles of that time with fossils of them being found all over the world.‭ Further reading -‭ ‬Catutosaurus gaspariniae‭ ‬,‭ ‬gen.‭ ‬et sp.‭ ‬nov.‭ (‬Ichthyosauria,‭ … Read more

Muiscasaurus

In Depth Muiscasaurus is a genus of opthalmosaurid ichthyosaur that lived during the early Cretaceous.‭ ‬Opthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs like Muiscasaurus are thought to have been specialists that hunted in deep water where there was very little light. Further Reading -‭ ‬A new ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Colombia.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Papers in Palaeontology.‭ ‬-‭ ‬E.‭ … Read more

Dearcmhara

In Depth In‭ ‬1959‭ ‬a fossil hunter named Brian Shawcross found a few portions of what was once an ichthyosaur some‭ ‬175-182‭ ‬million years before.‭ ‬Shawcross donated this find to‭ ‬the‭ ‬Hunterian museum in Glasgow,‭ ‬Scotland,‭ ‬but for over fifty years the fossils were just listed as those of an ichthyosaur.‭ ‬Then in‭ ‬2015‭ ‬a … Read more

Himalayasaurus

In Depth Himalayasaurus was named after the Himalaya‭ ‬Mountains where the holotype material was first discovered.‭ ‬The description of Himalayasaurus was based upon very incomplete post cranial remains and most interestingly teeth that were unlike any other Triassic aged ichthyosaur that had been seen at the time.‭ ‬These teeth were larger,‭ ‬more flattened and with … Read more

Palvennia

In Depth Palvennia is a genus of ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur that is noted for having a very short rostrum.‭ ‬The orbit‭ (‬skull opening for the eye‭)‬ also seems quite large,‭ ‬though‭ ‬the original describers have noted that this may be due to the specimen being crushed while it was being fossilised.‭ ‬Ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs are noted for … Read more