Temnodontosaurus

Not to be confused with Tenontosaurus.

Temnodontosaurus
Temporal range: Early Jurassic, 201.3–175.6 Ma
T. trigonodon skeleton in metal frame, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: †Ichthyosauria
Family: †Temnodontosauridae
Genus: †Temnodontosaurus
Lydekker, 1889
Species[1][2]
  • †T.? azerguensis Martin et al., 2012
  • †T. crassimanus Blake, 1876
  • †T. eurycephalus McGowan, 1974
  • †T. nuertingensis von Huene, 1931
  • †T. platyodon Conybeare, 1822
  • †T. trigonodon Theodori, 1843
  • †T. zetlandicus Seeley, 1880

Temnodontosaurus (Greek for "cutting-tooth lizard" – temno, meaning "to cut", donto meaning "tooth" and sauros meaning "lizard") is an extinct genus of ichthyosaur from the Early Jurassic period. They lived between 200 and 175 million years ago (Hettangian-Toarcian) in what is now Western Europe (England, France, Luxembourg, Germany and Belgium) and possibly other countries including Switzerland and Chile.[3][4] It lived in the deeper areas of the open ocean.[5] University of Bristol paleontologist Jeremy Martin described the genus Temnodontosaurus as "one of the most ecologically disparate genera of ichthyosaurs,"[6] although the number of valid Temnodontosaurus species has varied over the years.

Temnodontosaurus was one of the largest ichthyosaurs, reaching up to 8–10 metres (26–33 ft) in maximum body length. It is known for its incredibly large eyes which, at approximately 20 cm (7.9 in) in diameter, are believed to be the largest of any known animal. It possessed a tail bend that was characteristic of Jurassic ichthyosaurs and had many conical teeth filling its jaw that were set in a continuous groove.[7][8]

  1. ^ "Temnodontosaurus". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  2. ^ Laboury, A.; Bennion, R.F.; Thuy, B.; Weis, R.; Fischer, V. (2022). "Anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Temnodontosaurus zetlandicus (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 195 (1): 172–194. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab118. Supporting Information
  3. ^ Klug, C.; Sivgin, T.; Miedema, F.; Scheffold, B.; Reisdorf, A.G.; Stössel, I.; Maxwell, E.E.; Scheyer, T.M. (2024). "Swiss ichthyosaurs: a review". Swiss Journal of Palaeontology. 143. 31. doi:10.1186/s13358-024-00327-4. PMC 11366730.
  4. ^ Otero, R.A.; Sepúlveda, P. (2020). "First Temnodontosaurid (Ichthyosauria, Parvipelvia) From the Lower Jurassic of the Atacama Desert, Northern Chile" (PDF). Journal of South American Earth Sciences. 98: 102459. Bibcode:2020JSAES..9802459O. doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2019.102459. S2CID 214318136.
  5. ^ Motani R.(2000). “Rulers of the Jurassic seas”. Scientific American. 283 (6): 52-59
  6. ^ Martin, J.E.; Fischer, V.; Vincent, P.; Suan, G. (2010). "A Longirostrine Temnodontosaurus (Ichthyosauria) with Comments on Early Jurassic Ichthyosaur Niche Partitioning and Disparity". Palaeontology. 55 (5): 995–1005. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2012.01159.x. S2CID 130554998.
  7. ^ Sander,P.M.(2000). "Ichthyosauria: their diversity, distribution, and phylogeny", Paläontologische Zeitschrift 74: 1–35
  8. ^ McGowan, C. (1992). Dinosaurs, Spitfires, and Sea Dragons. Harvard University Press