ichthyosaurs
Dolphin-shaped prehistoric reptiles
Ichthyosaurs were marine reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic era, resembling dolphins in body shape despite being unrelated.
They breathed air, gave live birth, and hunted fish and squid.
The name means "fish lizard," though they were neither fish nor lizards.
The museum's ichthyosaur fossil stretched twenty feet long.
Foot-worn swim aids
- dorsal finFish's rear stabilizer
- snoutBeast's protruding face
- teethEnamel-covered chewing structures
- eye socketCranial cavity for sight organ
vertebrae · streamlined · countershading · live birth · carnivore · fish-eating · echolocation · blowhole
Preserved ancient organism
- MesozoicAge of Reptiles
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- TriassicFirst Mesozoic period
- JurassicDinosaur-dominated geological period
specimen · skeleton · prehistoric · reptile · marine reptile · paleontologist · excavation · sediment
Massive saltwater body
- predatorOrganism that consumes others
- squidTen-armed marine mollusk
- fishGilled aquatic vertebrate
- Tethys SeaVanished equatorial ocean
pelagic · deep diving · prey · food chain · marine ecosystem · swimming · speed · migration
Southern English county
- EnglandLargest British country
- nineteenth centuryYears 1801-1900
- classificationSystematic grouping by traits
- namingAssigning a label
flippers
Foot-worn swim aids
- dorsal finFish's rear stabilizer
- snoutBeast's protruding face
- teethEnamel-covered chewing structures
eye socket · vertebrae · streamlined · countershading · live birth · carnivore · fish-eating · echolocation · blowhole · rib cage
fossil
Preserved ancient organism
- MesozoicAge of Reptiles
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- TriassicFirst Mesozoic period
Jurassic · specimen · skeleton · prehistoric · reptile · marine reptile · paleontologist · excavation · sediment · geological
ocean
Massive saltwater body
Tethys Sea · pelagic · deep diving · prey · food chain · marine ecosystem · swimming · speed · migration · pack hunting
Dorset
Southern English county
- EnglandLargest British country
- nineteenth centuryYears 1801-1900
- classificationSystematic grouping by traits
- vertebratesmammals, mammal, birds, bird, reptiles
- Mesozoicdinosaurs, Velociraptor, Brachiosaurus, Spinosaurus, pterosaurs
- Extinct Animalsdinosaurs, tyrannosaurus, dodo, mammoth, triceratops
- fossilsammonite, amber, ammonites, fossils, fossil
- prehistoric lifedinosaurs, triceratops, Velociraptor, velociraptor, stegosaurus
- paleontologydinosaurs, fossil, paleontology, fossil record, fossils
ichthyosaursdinosaurs
Extinct prehistoric reptiles
theropods · sauropods · Tyrannosaurus rex · pterosaurs · fish