Palaeontology

Fossil ichthyosaur found alongside its prey

By T.K. Randall
October 31, 2017 ·  2 comments

Ichthyosaurs dominated the world's oceans for millions of years. Image Credit: Heinrich Harder The extremely well-preserved fossil, which was found alongside several hard-shelled ammonites, is the first of its kind ever found in India and could help to shed light on the region's prehistoric past.

Measuring a whopping 18ft in length, this dolphin-like reptile was common during the Jurassic Period however its fossil remains are more typically found in North America and Europe.

This particular specimen is thought to belong to the Ophthalmosauridae family which lived between 165 million and 90 million years ago.Its discovery has been described as 'fascinating' by researchers.

"Incredibly rare and important fossils are often found in the least expected locations," said palaeontologist Dean Lomax from the University of Manchester.

"This new study provides further insights into the distribution of ichthyosaurs during the Jurassic and the evolution of that group."

#3Novices This sea monster conquered the world https://t.co/Z0xxKFDTWp AN ALMOST complete fossil of the giant ‘lizard fish' Ichthyosaur h…

— 3Novices Australia (@3novicesSydney) October 29, 2017

Source: Live Science | Comments (2)

Tags: Ichthyosaur, Jurassic