Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England
Rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis, from the Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England

Ichthyosaurus communis

$2,000.00

Vendor: Fossil Soup

SKU Number: SQ3477137

This is an exceptionally rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis. This piece has been stabilized and expertly prepared in the lab using pneumatic tools to expose both sides of the upper and lower jaws, revealing many of the wonderfully preserved teeth. The articulation of this piece is extremely rare as most bones become dispersed on the sea floor after death due to decomposition or scavenging, making this piece very sought after.

Fossilization is more likely to take place if limestone nodules form around the bone as it is buried beneath ever increasing layers of sediment. The bone undergoes mineralization, where the pores in the bone fill with minerals in the water, like pyrite and calcite, that later precipitate out of solution and replace the bone in minute detail.

This is an opportunity to own an extremely rare piece from the celebrated Charmouth / Lyme Regis locality in Dorset, South West England. The rocks of this locality date back to the early part of the Jurassic period about 200 million years ago. Lyme Regis was made famous by Mary Anning, a victorian paleontologist, who discovered the fossilized remains of many large marine reptiles, including ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, that are now on display in the Natural History Museum in London.

PLEASE NOTE! The tips of several teeth have undergone restoration and are not original, although they have been thoughtfully restored. This definitely adds to the aesthetic display quality of the piece. The amount of effort, sometimes including acid work, that goes into the preparation of a piece like this is extensive and requires very skilled preparation.

This specimen comes with a Riker box for display and protection.

Full dimensions are listed below.

Vendor: Fossil Soup

SKU Number: SQ3477137

This is an exceptionally rare and exquisite specimen of a partial rostrum (upper and lower jaws) from an Ichthyosaur, probably Ichthyosaurus communis. This piece has been stabilized and expertly prepared in the lab using pneumatic tools to expose both sides of the upper and lower jaws, revealing many of the wonderfully preserved teeth. The articulation of this piece is extremely rare as most bones become dispersed on the sea floor after death due to decomposition or scavenging, making this piece very sought after.

Fossilization is more likely to take place if limestone nodules form around the bone as it is buried beneath ever increasing layers of sediment. The bone undergoes mineralization, where the pores in the bone fill with minerals in the water, like pyrite and calcite, that later precipitate out of solution and replace the bone in minute detail.

This is an opportunity to own an extremely rare piece from the celebrated Charmouth / Lyme Regis locality in Dorset, South West England. The rocks of this locality date back to the early part of the Jurassic period about 200 million years ago. Lyme Regis was made famous by Mary Anning, a victorian paleontologist, who discovered the fossilized remains of many large marine reptiles, including ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, that are now on display in the Natural History Museum in London.

PLEASE NOTE! The tips of several teeth have undergone restoration and are not original, although they have been thoughtfully restored. This definitely adds to the aesthetic display quality of the piece. The amount of effort, sometimes including acid work, that goes into the preparation of a piece like this is extensive and requires very skilled preparation.

This specimen comes with a Riker box for display and protection.

Full dimensions are listed below.

Specimen Details
Species Name: Ichthyosaurus communis Order / Family: Ichthyosauria / Ichthyosauridae Age: Lower Lias, Lower Jurassic Locality: Lyme Regis, Dorset, England Formation: Obtusum Zone
Matrix Dimensions
Dimensions: In Centimeters Length: N/A Width: N/A Thickness: N/A Weight: N/A
Specimen Dimensions
Dimensions: In Centimeters Length: 10.08 cm Width: 8.08 cm Thickness: 2.29 cm Weight: N/A
Shipping Dimensions
Dimensions: In Inches Length: 10.0 inches Width: 7.0 inches Height: 3.0 inches Weight: N/A
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Additional Information

Ichthyosaurus was the first complete fossil to be discovered in the early 19th century by Mary Anning in England.

Mary Anning became known around the world for the discoveries she made in Jurassic marine fossil beds in the cliffs along the English Channel at Lyme Regis in the county of Dorset in Southwest England. Mary’s findings contributed to changes in scientific thinking about prehistoric life and the history of the Earth.

Mary collected fossils in the Blue Lias and Charmouth Mudstone cliffs, particularly during the winter months when landslides exposed new fossils that had to be collected quickly before they were lost to the sea. Mary’s discoveries included the first correctly identified ichthyosaur skeleton when she was twelve years old; the first two nearly complete plesiosaur skeletons; the first pterosaur skeleton located outside Germany; and fish fossils. Her observations played a key role in the discovery that coprolites, known as bezoar stones at the time, were fossilised faeces, and she also discovered that belemnite fossils contained fossilised ink sacs like those of modern cephalopods.

Ichthyosaurus was smaller than most of its relatives, with individuals measuring up to 3.3 metres (11 ft) in length. Many Ichthyosaurus fossils are well-preserved and fully articulated. Some fossils still had baby specimens inside them, indicating that Ichthyosaurus was viviparous. Similar finds in the related Stenopterygius also show this. Jurassic ichthyosaurs had a fleshy dorsal fin on their back as well as a large caudal fin. 

Icthyosaurus is distinguished from other ichthyosaurs by having a wide fore-fin with 5 or more digits with an anterior digital bifurcation, but the morphology of the humerus and coracoids are also distinct from that of other Lower Jurassic ichthyosaurs, as is the arrangement of the dermal bones, though the suture lines used to diagnose these are not always visible.

References:

Ichthyosaurus
Mary Anning