Ichthyosauria
Marine Reptiles
Family: Shastasauridae
Name: Cymbospondylus
Time: Middle Triassic
Geography: North America (Nevada)
Length: 10 meter
This sturdy reptile was the least fish like Ichtyosaur. It had no fins on its back and tail, the major part of its length was formed by its body and tail. The long jaws were filled with sharp teeth. The paddles that were short and looked more like fins were used for stearing and braking, this animal moved foreward by snake-like movements of its body.
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Family: Shastasauridae
Name: Shonisaurus
Time: Late Triassic
Geography: North America (Nevada)
Length: 15 meer
Shonisaurus is the best known Ichthyosaur, an almost complete skeleton is known of this animal that allready possesed the distinctive fish-like characterics of the group . The head, body and tail all made 1/3 of the total length. De long jaws had only teeth in front. De swimlegs were extremely large and in the front and back equal in length.
Family: Mixosauridae
Name: Mixosaurus
Time: Middle Triassic
Geography: Asia (China and Timor) Europe (Alps) North America (Alaska, Canada and Nevada) Spitsbergen
Length: 1 meter
A intermediate form between the primitive ichtyosaurs and the later more developed forms. This animal had a fish-like appearance, a backfin and a possible start for the development of tail fins. De legs were changed into short paddles and the long smal jaws were filled with sharp teeth.
Family: Ichthyosauridae
Name: Ichthyosaurus
Time: Early Jurassic - Early Cretaceous
Geography: Europe (England and Germany) Greenland
Length: max. 2 meter
On of the best known prehistoric animals of which many hundreds specimens are known of which that of young and even bearing animals. The nostrils were placed far back on the head close to the eyes that were extremely sensitive. Ichthyosaurus hunted on fisch and cephalopods.
Name: Ophthalmosaurus
Time: Late Jurassic
Geography: Europe (England and France) North America and South America (Argentina)
Length: 3,5 meter
Ophthalmosaurus was more streamlined than its contemporary Ichthyosaurus. The fornt of its body was haevy and big and te tailfin had the appearance of a half moon. Ophthalmosaurus had big eyes, the eyesockets had a diameter of ten centimeter and were laying deep inside the skull.
Family: Stenopterygiidae
Name: Stenopterygius
Time: Early - Middle Jurassic
Geography: Europe (England and Germany)
Length: 3 meter
Embryo\'s were found inside some of these animals. Stenopterygius shows many characteristics know from Ichthyosaurus only the head was smaller as were the paddles.
Family: Leptopterygiidae
Name: Eurhinosaurus
Time: Early Jurassic
Geography: Europe (Germany)
Length: 2 meter
A outsider whitin this group, de upperjaw was twice as long as the lower jaw making it looked like a modern sawfish.
Name: Temdodontosaurus
Time: Early Jurassic
Geography: Europe (England and Germany)
Length: 9 meter
Also called Leptoptergius. This animal lived in the shallow and warm Jurassic seas. Temdodontosaurus used the front paddles for staering. It hunted on squids and ammonites.
