A hybrid of dolphin and fish 20 meters long: this was the ichthyosaur

The ichthyosaur lived in the era of the dinosaurs, becoming one of the most prominent predatory species

Millions of years ago, dinosaurs roamed the Earth, both the land surface and the oceans. Among the many species of predators that existed, it is necessary to distinguish the ichthyosaur, an animal that based its differentiation for being a hybrid between a dolphin and a fish. With a wingspan that could reach 20 meters in length, it was one of the most feared predatory creatures in the water. What were its main characteristics and why did it end up becoming extinct?

Ichthyosaur, an animal that has been studied on numerous occasions for its dimensions

There were dinosaurs with long legs, others with small size and many others that fed on everything they saw in their path. In the water, however, there were animals with a complexion that has been analyzed on many occasions. The ichthyosaur has always been one of the most revered by the scientific community for the characteristics it possessed. In addition to its incredible dimensions and its great resemblance to today’s dolphins, what other elements have caught the public’s attention?

The Ichthyosaurus is considered one of the largest reptiles that ever lived on Earth. Ichthyosaurus

Known as Ichthyosaurus In scientific jargon, This species never lived outside of water, according to Scimex. In the preliminary studies carried out after the discovery of the first specimens, it was thought that they came to the earth’s surface to lay their eggs, but the truth is that, later, it was proven that everything happened underwater. There are various subspecies of this animal, the most prominent and imposing being the one that had a size that could reach 20 meters on average.

It fed mainly on other smaller fish and squid. She didn’t live very deep, so she had no problem finding food sources quickly. Although seeing footprints of dinosaurs like this is going to be an impossible task, it is worth highlighting that it could be the heaviest reptile that has ever inhabited the Earth. Some specimens would have even exceeded 25 meters in length. Its body was designed to be aerodynamic, but its weight was a great handicap after analyzing the remains we found during these last decades.

Be that as it may, the scientific community agrees when stating that This animal has unique dimensions in history. Its common family tree with many other species was separated with the Thunnosauriabut the truth is that its difficulty in adapting to the conditions present in the ecosystem in which it lived caused a slow loss of living specimens and their subsequent extinction.