Ophthalmosaurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids OpthalmosaurusTemporal range: Upper Jurassic
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| Ophthalmosaurus icenius | |
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Ophthalmosaurus
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| Ophthalmosaurus discus Seeley, 1874
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Ophthalmosaurus was a fascinating marine reptile that lived in the oceans during the Upper Jurassic period, about 165 to 150 million years ago. Its name means "eye lizard" because it had incredibly large eyes! Well-preserved skeletons of Ophthalmosaurus, from young ones to adults, have been discovered in places like Europe, North America, and Argentina.
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About Ophthalmosaurus
Ophthalmosaurus was a type of ichthyosaur, which were ancient marine reptiles that looked a bit like modern-day dolphins or sharks. These amazing creatures swam in the seas long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth. They were perfectly adapted for life in the ocean.
Its Amazing Eyes
Ophthalmosaurus had the biggest eyes of any vertebrate (animals with backbones) compared to its body size. Each eye was about 4 inches (10 cm) across, which is roughly the size of a grapefruit! These huge eyes took up most of the space in its skull.
Its eyes were protected by special bony plates called sclerotic rings. These rings likely helped the eyeballs keep their shape against the strong water pressure deep in the ocean. The large size of its eyes and these protective rings suggest that Ophthalmosaurus hunted in places where there wasn't much light. This could mean it hunted very deep in the ocean or perhaps at night when its prey was more active.
Hunting and Diving
Ophthalmosaurus had a long, thin snout. This snout was perfect for quickly snapping up fast-moving prey. It probably ate fish and squid.
Scientists have studied Ophthalmosaurus skeletons to understand how it lived. Calculations suggest that a typical Ophthalmosaurus could stay underwater for about 20 minutes or even longer. Its swimming speed was estimated to be at least 2.5 meters per second. This means it could dive very deep and return to the surface quite quickly. Even swimming at a slower speed of 1 meter per second, an Ophthalmosaurus could dive down to 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) and come back up within 20 minutes!
When It Lived
The family of Ophthalmosaurus, called Ophthalmosauridae, continued to exist into the Upper Cretaceous period. However, the specific type of Ophthalmosaurus became extinct at the end of the Jurassic period.
Images for kids
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O. icenicus in Tubingen
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Life restoration of O. icenicus
See also
In Spanish: Ophthalmosaurus para niños
