Did dolphins come from ichthyosaurs?
Although they superficially have a similar shape and they exploit similar environmental niches, we know that ichthyosaurs are reptiles and thus they are not dolphins (mammals) nor sharks (fish). Although fish come in all shapes and sizes and ichthyosaurs are often specifically compared with sharks.
What is the definition of ichthyosaur?
: any of an order (Ichthyosauria) of extinct marine reptiles of the Mesozoic specialized for aquatic life by a streamlined body with a long snout, limbs reduced to small fins for steering, and a large lunate caudal fin. Other Words from ichthyosaur Example Sentences Learn More About ichthyosaur.
How are ichthyosaurs different from dolphins?
Ichthyosaurs are extinct dolphin-like marine reptiles found in rocks all over the world. It shows that ichthyosaur skin was made up of distinct epidermal and dermal layers, together known as the cutus. There are no signs of scales, instead its skin appears to have been tough and rubbery like dolphins.
What was the largest ichthyosaur?
The bone would have made up only a portion of the entire skull. They compared it with several ichthyosaur skeletons, including the largest ichthyosaur known, the shastasaurid Shonisaurus sikanniensis, which is 69 feet (21 m) long.
How did ichthyosaurs give birth?
The ichthyosaur mother died with three young: one outside the mother, one half-emerged headfirst from her pelvis and one still inside, waiting to be born.
Why do dolphins have a similar body shape to fish?
Analogous-Dolphins are mammals and fish are not, thus their evolutionary paths are quite separate. They have similar body shapes because of their similar environment. Homologous-Dolphins and fish are both vertebrates, thus they have a similar recent evolutionary history, causing them to have similar body shapes. …
What is the mean of resemble?
transitive verb. 1 : to be like or similar to he resembles his father. 2 archaic : to represent as like.
Is Shastasaurus bigger than Megalodon?
The Shastasaurus was the one of the largest marine Reptiles of all time. It measured 21 meters or 69 feet long. The winner is Shastasaurus. You may say, “Megalodon is stronger than Shastasaurus.” I hear you there but remember Megalodon is design to hunt small to midsize whales.
What is the largest land animal that ever lived?
The blue whale
The blue whale is believed to be the largest animal to have ever lived. The largest land animal classification is also dominated by mammals, with the African bush elephant being the largest of these.
Do ichthyosaurs give birth?
Most Ichthyosaurs would give birth to one or two single babies (often called pups), although one fossil of an Ichthyosaur shows eleven embryos preserved inside the body chamber. It seems that babies were born tail first.