ichthyosaur
Ancient marine reptile
An ichthyosaur is an extinct marine reptile that lived during the Mesozoic era, resembling a dolphin or fish in body shape despite being neither.
These air-breathing predators had elongated snouts, large eyes, and paddle-like limbs.
The name means "fish lizard," reflecting their superficially fish-like appearance: The museum's ichthyosaur fossil stretched nearly thirty feet.
First Mesozoic period
- JurassicDinosaur-dominated geological period
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
- MesozoicAge of Reptiles
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
Pangaea · Tethys · ammonite · belemnite · plesiosaur · pliosaur · mosasaur · pterosaur
Preserved ancient organism
- excavationAct of unearthing
- paleontologyStudy of ancient organisms
- petrificationBecoming rock-like
- mineralizationConversion to mineral form
sediment · shale · stratigraphy · coprolite · dig · quarry · specimen · skeleton
Massive saltwater body
- aquaticWater-inhabiting
- predatorOrganism that consumes others
- hydrodynamicRelating to fluid motion
- streamlinedMade smooth and efficient
fluke · paddle · diving · echolocation · pursuit · fish-eating · cephalopod · squid
Bearing live young
- countershadingCamouflage via tonal gradient
- deep-divingDescending to extreme depths
- warm-bloodedInternally temperature-regulated
- endothermicAbsorbing thermal energy
Triassic
First Mesozoic period
- JurassicDinosaur-dominated geological period
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
- MesozoicAge of Reptiles
extinction · Pangaea · Tethys · ammonite · belemnite · plesiosaur · pliosaur · mosasaur · pterosaur · coexistence
fossil
Preserved ancient organism
- excavationAct of unearthing
- paleontologyStudy of ancient organisms
- petrificationBecoming rock-like
mineralization · sediment · shale · stratigraphy · coprolite · dig · quarry · specimen · skeleton · vertebrae
ocean
Massive saltwater body
- aquaticWater-inhabiting
- predatorOrganism that consumes others
- hydrodynamicRelating to fluid motion
streamlined · fluke · paddle · diving · echolocation · pursuit · fish-eating · cephalopod · squid · sea
viviparous
Bearing live young
- countershadingCamouflage via tonal gradient
- deep-divingDescending to extreme depths
- warm-bloodedInternally temperature-regulated
endothermic · rib-cage · embryo · neonate
reptile
Cold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- Extinct Animalsdinosaurs, tyrannosaurus, dodo, mammoth, triceratops
- extinct creaturesdinosaurs, trilobites, ammonites, mammoths, pterosaurs
- fossilsammonite, amber, ammonites, fossils, fossil
- Prehistoric Animalsdinosaurs, T-Rex, Velociraptor, Brachiosaurus, mammoth
- prehistoric lifedinosaurs, triceratops, Velociraptor, velociraptor, stegosaurus
- Prehistoric ReptilesT-Rex, Velociraptor, Brachiosaurus, Spinosaurus, pterosaur
ichthyosaurdinosaur
Extinct Mesozoic reptile
Tyrannosaurus rex · sauropod · theropod · Velociraptor · saurischian