Ichthyosaurs
Pronounced – Ik-thee-oh-saw
Meaning of name – ‘Fish-lizard’
Group – Reptile
Age – Lower Jurassic, around 195 million years old
Ichthyosaurs are a type of extinct marine reptile which had streamlined bodies. On appearance they resemble sharks and dolphins but these creatures are not directly related to each other. They look similar because they are all adapted to being fast swimming predators who have streamlined bodies. Ichthyosaurs were so well adapted for life in the sea that they gave birth to live young. The largest ichthyosaurs found around Charmouth are around 10 metres long.
Ichthyosaurus breviceps This is a cast of an ichthyosaur that was discovered by Craig Chivers in 2005. It is very rare to find a whole marine reptile; you are more likely to find isolated bones in the sand and gravel on the beaches.
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