What is the size of an ichthyosaur?
Fossils from the western United States and Canada indicate that some ichthyosaurs could exceed 13 metres (43 feet) in length. Deep-bodied and with long fins, these appear to have been ambush predators that fed on fishes.
Was the ichthyosaur a predator?
The ichthyosaur was an apex predator. This species belonged to a group suggested to have had perhaps the largest eyes of any known vertebrate animal, some 20 centimetres in diameter.
Is the whale related to the ichthyosaurus?
Indeed, ichthyosaurs shared a few similarities with cetaceans—whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Both groups evolved from land-dwelling animals that returned to the sea, developed similar body plans including powerful tails to propel themselves through the water, and in some cases grew to enormous sizes.
Was the ichthyosaur a herbivore or carnivore?
Ichthyosaurs were carnivores; they ate fish, octopus, and other swimming animals. They had strong jaws and sharp teeth.
How fast is a Ichthyosaurus?
It has been estimated that ichthyosaurs could swim at speeds up to 40 km/h (25 mph). Similar to modern cetaceans such as whales and dolphins, they were air-breathing and also were viviparous (some adult fossils have even been found containing fetuses).
Is ichthyosaur bigger than mosasaurus?
Mosasaurs (98–66 million years ago) are giant marine lizards that could reach 15 m in body length, whereas ichthyosaurs (250–94 million years ago) could become even larger.
Has there ever been an animal bigger than a blue whale?
But now, a newly discovered ichthyosaur could give this normal-looking reptile a claim to fame as the largest animal that ever existed. If size estimates are accurate, this creature could have measured up to 26 meters (85 feet) long — for comparison, blue whales top out around 25 meters (82 feet).
Why is ichthyosaur not classified as a dinosaur?
Ichthyosaurs were not dinosaurs, but represent a separate group of marine vertebrates. Because ichthyosaurs were so specialized and modified for life in the ocean, we don’t really know which group of vertebrates were their closest relatives.
Who would win a megalodon or mosasaurus?
While a similar length, the Megalodon had a much more robust body and huge jaws built for devouring whales and other large marine mammals. A Mosasaurus would not have been able to get its jaws around the much thicker body of the Megalodon. It would just take one catastrophic bite for the Megalodon to end the battle.