11 Ichthyosaurus communis

3D Model

Ichthyosaurs (‘fish lizards’) were large marine reptiles that inhabited the warm seas that once covered southern England and Europe about 201–185 million years ago. The Crystal Palace sculptures are based on some of the earliest fossils of these creatures ever discovered, by Mary Anning on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast in the early 19th century.

Much of the interpretation of the fossil material remains valid today. However, they were fully aquatic so the representation of them only partially submerged and basking or coming ashore is misleading. We now know that they had dorsal fins and crescent-shaped tail fins. They fed on fish and squid.

Today, Icthyosaurus communis is recognised as one of the most commonly found Early Jurassic ichthyosaurs. Its fossils are especially common at Lyme Regis. The sculpture is much bigger than the real size of I. communis, which grew to only about 2 metres long.

Model by Rhys Griffin ©Rhys Griffin/Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs & Historic England