Marine reptiles
Ichthyosaurs
This is an ichthyosaur. Ichthyosaurs were reptiles that lived in ancient seas.
Look at its streamlined body and four flippers. Does it look like a little boat made for swimming?
Explore it in the 3D museum →
Meet this animal
- When it lived
- Triassic to Late Cretaceous
- Fossil discovery regions
- Ancient marine rocks around the world
- Size
- 0.9–25 metres · Species varied greatly in size; this is not the length of the animal shown
- Diet
- Meat-eater
- Classification
- Marine reptiles
Ichthyosaurs were a large group of reptiles adapted for life at sea, not dinosaurs. Different species varied greatly in size and diet. Fossils also show that they gave birth to live young in the water. The model source does not identify a genus or species, so this label stays at group level.
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