SUPERB GERMAN ICHTHYOSAUR
Stenopterygius quadriscissus
Jurassic, Lias epsilon 2
Posidonienschiefer Formation, Holzmaden, Germany
This exceptional specimen is from one of the greatest fossil locations in the world. Preserved in the finest detail, it is the full skeleton of an ichthyosaur, a large pre-dinosaurian swimming lizard. These creatures seem to have evolved from land-dwelling reptiles who returned to the oceans, the structure of their flippers suggesting that the bones developed from a form similar to an arm and a hand, with fingers and a thumb-like appendage. Once back in the water, however, the ichthyosaur developed a streamlined fish-like appearance built for speed, similar to today's tuna, with an elongated snout, sleek body and powerful propulsive flippers, all beautifully preserved on the present example. It boasts incredible detail and three-dimensionality, from the perfectly defined rows of innumerable sharp little teeth, to the heavy rounded sclerotic bone that supported the eyeball, with robust shoulder bones, vertebrae, and characterful round paddle bones. A superb specimen, presented in the approximately 34 1/2 x 66 inch shale matrix with polished outline, 44 inches long, it is a truly a world-class specimen and a terrifically dramatic display piece.