Dino card No. 1767 of 2,027

Temnodontosaurus

Say it: tem-noh-don-TOH-sore-us

Name means: “cutting-tooth lizard”1

Ate: MeatIchthyosaursEarly JurassicNot technically a dinosaur

Temnodontosaurus was a giant marine reptile that swam in the Jurassic seas. It was one of the biggest ichthyosaurs, with huge eyes and sharp teeth. It hunted fish, squid, and even other ichthyosaurs.1

Fun fact: this sea reptile swam while dinosaurs walked on land. Everyone calls them dinos, but they were a different branch of reptiles.

Lived

201 to 175 million years ago5

Early Jurassic

Fossils found in

England, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and possibly Switzerland and Italy1 5

Food

Meat1

Length

9 m1

generally estimated at 9 m, but some specimens may have been larger

When did it live?

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114566, the asteroid

How big was it?

How long was it?

as long as 2 cars parked in a rowas long as 50 bananas end to end

How big was Temnodontosaurus compared to YOU?

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cool stuff

Fun facts

Temnodontosaurus had the largest eyes of any known animal, measuring over 25 cm (9.8 in) across, as big as a dinner plate.1

One fossil of Temnodontosaurus trigonodon had the remains of three baby Stenopterygius ichthyosaurs in its stomach, along with many squid hooks.1

The first Temnodontosaurus fossil was found by famous fossil hunter Mary Anning in Dorset, England, around 1810.1

Temnodontosaurus lived during the Early Jurassic, from about 201 to 176 million years ago.5

It was a fast swimmer with flippers and a tail fin, and may have been an ambush predator.1

Some scientists think Temnodontosaurus might not be a single natural group, because different species may not be closely related.2

AI-made picture of Temnodontosaurus — An AI-made picture of how Temnodontosaurus might have looked, made by a computer from what scientists know. It is a guess: the real animal may have looked different, and nobody knows its true colours.

you asked

Most asked questions about Temnodontosaurus

?How big was Temnodontosaurus?

Temnodontosaurus was generally about 9 metres (30 feet) long, but some specimens may have been over 10 metres. It was one of the largest ichthyosaurs, though not as big as some Triassic forms.1 3

?Did Temnodontosaurus have the largest eyes of any animal?

Yes, Temnodontosaurus had eye sockets over 25 cm (9.8 inches) wide, possibly the largest eyes of any known vertebrate, rivaling those of giant squid. This helped it see in dim light.1 4

?What did Temnodontosaurus eat?

Temnodontosaurus was an apex predator that ate bony fish, cephalopods (like squid), and even other ichthyosaurs. One fossil had three baby Stenopterygius in its stomach.1

?Could Temnodontosaurus swim fast?

Yes, Temnodontosaurus was a fast swimmer with flippers and a tail fin. Its wing-like flippers may have helped it swim stealthily to sneak up on prey.1 4

?Is Temnodontosaurus a dinosaur?

No, Temnodontosaurus is an ichthyosaur, a marine reptile, not a dinosaur. Ichthyosaurs lived in the seas during the time of dinosaurs.1

?When did Temnodontosaurus live?

Temnodontosaurus lived during the Early Jurassic, about 201 to 176 million years ago. It swam in the seas of what is now Europe and possibly Chile.1

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For dino experts

Scientific name: Temnodontosaurus
Named by: Lydekker 18895
Group: Ichthyosaurs
Family / clade: Neoichthyosauria5
Classification: Ichthyosauria > Ichthyosauromorpha5
Age of the rocks: 201 to 175 million years (Hettangian / Toarcian)5
Rock formations: Alum Shale, Charmouth Mudstone, Luxembourg Sandstone5
Countries: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium5
Fossil records: 16 in the Paleobiology Database5
Discovery: The first Temnodontosaurus fossil was a skull and partial skeleton found by Joseph and Mary Anning in Dorset, England, around 1810. It was described by Sir Everard Home between 1814 and 1819, making it the first ichthyosaur ever scientifically described. The genus was named by Richard Lydekker in 1889.1
Still debated: Scientists are still debating whether Temnodontosaurus is a natural group, because different species might not be closely related to each other.2

Where the facts come from

Temnodontosaurus (en.wikipedia.org)
Anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Temnodontosaurus zetlandicus (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria) | Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society | Oxford Academic (academic.oup.com)
Giant ichthyosaurs evolved stealthy flippers to sneak up on prey | Natural History Museum (nhm.ac.uk)
Adaptations for stealth in the wing-like flippers of a large ichthyosaur | Nature (preview-www.nature.com)
Temnodontosaurus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.

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