Protoichthyosaurus prostaxalis BIRUG BU5323

3D Model

Skull of Protoichthyosaurus prostaxalis. This species of ichthyosaur is known from the Hettangian Stage in the UK (Lower Jurassic: 201–199 million years ago). P. prostaxalis was a medium-sized species of ichthyosaur and likely would not have exceeded 2.5 metres in total length. Similarly to the majority of ichthyosaurs, it would have been an active hunter with good eyesight; there is evidence from the gut contents of numerous ichthyosaur specimens that fish and belemnites constituted a large proportion of ichthyosaur diet. Information from Lomax et al. (2017) and Hart et al. (2018) and references therein. This specimen is on display in the Evolution of Life Gallery at the Lapworth Museum and was digitised by A Jones using an Artec Spider 3D scanner.