UW2421 - Platypterygius petersoni, Paddle3D Model
Period: Cretaceous; Rock Formation: Ichthyosaur Skull; State: Wyoming
Taxonomy: Reptilia>Ichthyosauria>Leptopterygiidae>Platypterygius petersoni
Platypterygius petersoni was a marine reptile from the Cretaceous of Wyoming. The group that Platypterygius petersoni is part of, the ichthyosaurs, were common throughout the Mesozoic, and are notable for well-preserved specimens that have given incredible insights into their ecology. Ichthyosaurs ate fish, squid, and occasionally turtles, and also gave live birth. Their name comes from how fish-shaped their bodies are, with long snouts and crescent-shaped rear fin that moved side-to-side. This specimen shows part of the paddle, or “arm fins” of the animal, specifically the wrist and starts of the phalanges.
Scanned with the David SLS-2
CC Attribution-NonCommercialCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
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