Fossilized Ichthyosaur, Mesozoic Reptile

Ichthyosaurs were giant marine reptiles that resembled dolphins in a classic example of convergent evolution. During the middle Triassic Period, they evolved from as yet unidentified land reptiles that moved back into the water, in a development parallel to that of the ancestors of modern-day dolphins and whales.They averaged 7-13 feet in length, with a porpoise-like head and a long, toothed snout. It has been estimated that ichthyosaurs could swim at speeds up to 25 mph. The larger species had heavy jaws and teeth that indicated they fed on smaller reptiles. Although ichthyosaurs looked like fish, they were not

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Chordate Dolphin Evolved Extinction Fossilized Ichthyosauria Ichthyosaurs Opportunistic Paleobiology Predatory Prehistory Terrestrial Triassic

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