Named By: | Harry Govier Seeley in 1874 |
Time Period: | Jurassic, 201.6-145.5 Ma[1] |
Location: | England - Oxford Clay Formation. France. Greenland, Mexico - La Caja Formation. USA, Wyoming - Sundance Formation |
Size: | Up to 6 meters long |
Diet: | Piscivore, possibly a specialist in deep water squid |
Fossil(s): | Lots of specimens of individuals of all ages which make Ophthalmosaurus one of the best known ichthyosaurs |
Classification: | | Chordata | Reptilia | Ichthyosauria | Ophthalmosauridae | Ophthalmosaurinae | |
Also known as: | | Apatodontosaurus | Ancanamunia | Baptanodon | Paraophthalmosaurus | Yasykovia | |
Ophthalmosaurus (meaning "eye lizard" in Greek) is an ichthyosaur of the almost entire Jurassic period (~201.5 to ~145.5 million years ago), named for its extremely large eyes. It had a graceful 6 m (19.5 ft) long dolphin-shaped body, and its almost toothless jaw was well adapted for catching squid. Major fossil finds of this genus have been recorded in Europe and North America.