Jurassic Period

Megalneusaurus

In the prehistoric past, the center of North America has been underwater on several occasions. Perhaps the most well-known of these instances was during the late Cretaceous Period when North America was cut in half by the Western Interior Seaway… Read More ›

Eternauta

Eternauta patagonica was an ichthyosaur which lived around Argentina during the late Jurassic Period 152-145 million years ago. Fossils of this Jurassic marine reptile, consisting of a well-preserved skull measuring nearly four feet long, a flipper, and fragments of ribs,… Read More ›

Catutosaurus

Catutosaurus, meaning “the lizard from Los Catutos”, was a small ichthyosaur which lived around Argentina during the late Jurassic Period 152-145 million years ago. Fossils of this animal were found in the Vaca Muerta (“Dead Cow”) Formation, and the exact… Read More ›

Stenopterygius

Stenopterygius, meaning “narrow fin”, was a genus of ichthyosaur which lived around Europe during the early to middle Jurassic Period 184-175 million years ago. Multiple fossils of this marine reptile including whole skeletons have been found in England, France, Luxembourg,… Read More ›

Rhamphorhynchus

Rhamphorhynchus, meaning “prow beak”, is one of those iconic creatures which appears in practically every children’s book about prehistoric life. It was a pterosaur with a 6 foot wingspan which lived in Europe during the late Jurassic Period 150-145 million… Read More ›

Nannopterygius

Nannopterygius, meaning “tiny fin”, was a genus of ichthyosaur which lived around Europe from the late Jurassic to the early Cretaceous Period approximately 152-140 million years ago. There are currently six species assigned to this genus: Nannopterygius saveljeviensis. © Jason… Read More ›

Brachypterygius

Brachypterygius, meaning “short fin”, was an ichthyosaur which lived around England during the late Jurassic Period 155-150 million years ago. Fossils of this animal were found at Smallmouth Sands near the seaside town of Weymouth, Dorset, England within the rock… Read More ›

Undorosaurus

Undorosaurus was a medium-sized ichthyosaur which lived in northern Europe during the late Jurassic Period 150-145 million years ago. Fossils of this animal have been found in Norway, Poland, and western Russia. In fact, it was named after the village… Read More ›

Asteracanthus

Asteracanthus was a 6 foot long hybodont shark which lived from the middle Jurassic Period to the middle Cretaceous Period 165-100 million years ago. Unlike most prehistoric sharks which are known only from teeth, Asteracanthus is also known from some… Read More ›