Ichthyosaur Skeleton Plaque

$50.00

Ichthyosauria (Ancient Greek for fish lizard) is an order of large extinct marine reptiles sometimes referred to as “ichthyosaurs,” although the term is also used for wider clades that the order resides in.

SKU: P024 Tags: ,

Description

Ichthyosaur Skeleton Plaque measures 23×6 inches. Ichthyosaur Skeleton Plaque is museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in the USA. Ichthyosauria is the scientific name. Our precise Skeleton can be used as a teaching tool, museum skeleton exhibit, home décor skeleton, or office décor skeleton.

Ichthyosaurs is Greek for “fish lizard” are large extinct marine reptiles. Ichthyosaur or Ichthyosauria species varied from one to over sixteen meters in length. They resembled both modern fish and dolphins.

Their limbs had been fully transformed into flippers, which sometimes contained a very large number of digits and phalanges. At least some species possessed a dorsal fin. Their heads were pointed, and the jaws often were equipped with conical teeth that could help to catch smaller prey.

Some Ichthyosaur or Ichthyosauria had larger, bladed teeth with which they could attack large animals. The eyes were very large, probably useful when deep diving. The neck was short, and later species had a rather stiff trunk.

These also had a more vertical tail fin, used for a powerful propulsive stroke. The vertebral column, made of simplified disc-like vertebrae, continued into the lower lobe of the tail fin. Ichthyosaurs or Ichthyosauria were air-breathing, warm-blooded, and bore live young. They may have had a layer of blubber for insulation

They thrived during much of the Mesozoic era; based on fossil evidence, they first appeared around 250 million years ago and at least one species survived until about 90 million years ago, into the Late Cretaceous.

During the early Triassic period, Ichthyosaurs or Ichthyosauria evolved from a group of unidentified land reptiles that returned to the sea. Ichthyosaurs were particularly abundant in the later Triassic and early Jurassic periods, until they were replaced as the top aquatic predators by another marine reptilian group, the Plesiosauria, in the later Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

In the Late Cretaceous, Ichthyosaurs or Ichthyosauria were hard hit by the Cenomanian-Turonian anoxic event. Their last lineage became extinct for unknown reasons.

Shop More Museum Qualily Dinosaurs In Dinosaur Skulls Store

 

Additional information

Weight 6 lbs
Dimensions 23 × 6 in
Ichthyosaur Facts

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: †Eoichthyosauria
Order: †Ichthyosauria
Conservation Status: Extinct