Temnodontosaurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids TemnodontosaurusTemporal range: Lower Jurassic
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| Wall-mounted skeleton of Temnodontosaurus platyodon, with puny humans reflected in the glass. Natural History Museum, London. | |
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Leptopterygiidae
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Temnodontosaurus
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Meet Temnodontosaurus, a giant sea reptile called an ichthyosaur. It lived a very long time ago, about 196 to 190 million years ago, during the early Jurassic period.
Fossils of Temnodontosaurus were first found in England by a famous fossil hunter named Mary Anning. This was actually the first ichthyosaur she ever found! Her brother discovered the skull around 1810, and Mary found the rest of the skeleton. Later, more fossils were also found in Germany. There are a few different types, or species, of Temnodontosaurus. These amazing creatures could grow as big as a killer whale, reaching lengths of about 30 to 40 feet (9 to 12 meters)!
What Did Temnodontosaurus Eat?
This huge ichthyosaur swam through the shallow ancient seas looking for food. Scientists believe it was a powerful hunter. Some experts, like Christopher McGowan, think that Temnodontosaurus might have hunted other large reptiles. This means it could have eaten other sea creatures, perhaps even smaller ichthyosaurs!
Incredible Eye Size
Temnodontosaurus holds an amazing record for eye size! The species Temnodontosaurus platyodon had eyes that were about 264 millimeters (or 10.4 inches) across. This is the biggest eye ever found in any vertebrate, which means any animal with a backbone. Only the colossal squid has even larger eyes. These huge eyes were supported by special bony rings called sclerotic rings. These rings helped protect and strengthen the eye, especially when diving deep in the ocean.
Images for kids
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Outdated model in Crystal Palace
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T. burgundiae skulls
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T. platyodon skeletons in London
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Temnodontosaurus with a human for scale
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Restoration of T. platyodon
See also
In Spanish: Temnodontosaurus para niños
