History
Ichthyosaurs
When
were they around?
Ichthyosaurs
(photo of fossil on left) were marine reptiles that lived from the early
Triassic period, which began about 240 million years ago, but died out about
90 million years ago, in the late Cretaceous period.
What
did they look like?
There were several different genera of
ichthyosaurs, and they ranged in length from 1 to 15 m.
The
Ichthyosaurs were similar in appearance to dolphins - long, pointed snouts
and streamlined bodies. They had pointed teeth and large eyes.
What
did they eat?
Most ichthyosaurs probably lived on a diet of fish and
belemnites, although the larger ones preyed on other marine reptiles.
Basilosaurus
When were they around?
Basilosaurus were
around about 40-36million years ago, in the USA, and in Egypt.
How big
were they?
Basilosaurus'
had really long bodies. In fact when it was first discovered it was mistaken
for a sea serpent (that is why it is called a Basilosaurus, which means 'King
Lizard'). The average female was about 15m long, and males were about 18m
long!
What did they eat?
Basilosaurus ate mostly
fish and molluscs but they did have a tendency to
eat sharks! They
even ate a few Dorudon (see below)!
Did
you know that recently a ball of fish bones was found in the rib cage of a
Basilosaurus fossil. This seemed to be its stomach contents (yuk!). It
contained the remains of several different types of fish and a shark that was
0.5 meters long!
Dorudon
When were
they around?
Dorudon were
around about 40-36million years ago, in Egypt and North America.
How big
were they?
Dorudon
looked very similar to a Basilosaurus, but it was a lot smaller. In total, in
was about 5m long.
What did
they eat?
Their diet
was a lot like a Basilosaurus - small fish, and molluscs (but of course no
sharks!).
For
more info, visit- www.bbc.co.uk/beasts
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