Dark dontosaurus

Dark Dontosaurus ( Latin Temnodontosaurus , from the Greek. Τέμνω - I cut, ruble + όδυς ( genus - οδόντος ) - tooth + σαῦρος - lizard) - a giant ichthyosaur of the early Jurassic era. Also known as leptopterygius ( lat. Leptopterygius ). The genus was isolated by Lidecker in 1889. The type species was described by Conibir in 1822 on the basis of the first finds of ichthyosaurs from Lyme Regis as Ichthyosaurus platyodon . A type-type skull is often depicted in old books on geology and paleontology. The genus is known from rat (Late Triassic) to the Toaric era of the early Jurassic. The skull is usually with a long muzzle, the teeth are numerous, powerful. The body is long, the flippers are narrow (“longipinnate” form), with 3-4 fingers, almost equal in length; unpaired fins are low. He swam, wriggling his whole body, that is, he kept a primitive type of locomotion. The most famous types are:

• Temnodontosaurus platyodon (Conybeare, 1822) - from the early Leias Lyme Regis. It originates from the Cinyurian deposits. Type view. The muzzle is long, the teeth are very numerous. The eyes are huge - up to 25 cm in diameter. The length of the animal reached 9 meters (the largest post-Triassic ichthyosaur). He ate mainly cephalopods (squid and belemnites). It is often portrayed in popular literature.

† Dark Dontosaurus
Temnodontosaurus platyodon
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animals Type of: Chordate Grade: Reptiles Subclass: Diapsida Squad: Ichthyosaurs Suborder: Ichthyosauria Family: Leptopterygiidae Gender: Temnodontosaurus
Latin name
Temnodontosaurus Lydekker , 1889
Kinds
T. platyodon T. eurycephalus T. burgundiae

Temnodontosaurus burgundiae attacks Stenopterygius hauffianus

• Temnodontosaurus burgundiae (Gaudry, 1892) - from Leyas Epsilon (Toar era) Württemberg in Germany. Length up to 7 meters and more. A possible synonym is Leptopterygius acutirostris , in the old literature skulls of this species up to 2 meters long, belonging to even larger individuals, are mentioned. The head is relatively large, the teeth are powerful. He probably ate mainly fish and cephalopods, but could attack smaller ichthyosaurs as well. Probably a descendant of the previous species.
• Temnodontosaurus eurycephalus (McGowan, 1974) - is known for a single skull from the Lyme Regis cinnamon. The skull is massive, with a short muzzle, the teeth are very large, with deep roots. The skull is 95 cm long. Probably an active hunter for large prey, similar to a modern killer whale.
• Temnodontosaurus longirostris (Mantell, 1851; McGowan, 1974) is a small species, about 4 meters long. Very long muzzle, numerous teeth. Synonyms - Ichthyosaurus longirostris, Ichthyosaurus latifrons . Also described from the Lyme Regis cinemore. Unlike other species, it ate small prey.

The Dark Dontosaurus is interesting as a representative of primitive ichthyosaurs, which briefly occupied the niche of a large marine predator at the beginning of the Jurassic. Extinction was probably due to the appearance of large pliosaurs.