Stenopterygius quadriscissus
Origin: Holzmaden, Germany
Approximate age: 180 million years
Dimensions: 240 x 112 x 5 cm
The Ichthyosaur was discovered in the Posidonienschiefer Formation in Germany, a site known for fine fossil specimens from the early Jurassic. Ichthyosaurs, which means “fish lizards” in Greek, were the top predators of the seas during the Jurassic. Scientists believed they had evolved from land-dwelling reptiles into marine predators with a streamlined body shape and powerful flippers that propelled them through the water after their prey. This specimen is of the highest quality with excellent preservation and exceptional detail of its skeletal structure. A fine Stenopterygius specimen like this is rarely found outside of German museums and therefore coveted by collectors worldwide.
Interesting fact: in Mandarin, ichthyosaurs are referred to as 鱼龙 (“fish dragons”).