A rediscovered Lower Jurassic ichthyosaur skeleton possibly from the Strawberry Bank Lagerstà¤tte, Somerset, UK
Resource type
Journal article
Creator (person)
Srdic, Alexander
Beardmore, Susan
Lomax, Dean R
Date published
September 10, 2019
Abstract
An almost complete ichthyosaur from the historically significant collection of fossils amassed by Somerset geologist, Charles Moore, is described. Available information suggests that it was collected from the Lower Lias of Somerset, UK. However, inspection of the surrounding matrix, which seems to be a nodule, indicates that the specimen may instead hail from the Upper Lias (Toarcian) Strawberry Bank Lagerstà¤tte of Ilminster, Somerset. The specimen had previously been identified as Leptonectes tenuirostris. Herein, further analysis of the skull and forefin, reveals closer affinities to Stenopterygius triscissus, to which the specimen is tentatively assigned. Therefore, the specimen represents one of the most complete ichthyosaurs collected from the Strawberry Bank Lagerstà¤tte.
Journal title
Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Place of publication
London
eISSN
1029-2381
Date accepted
September 1, 2019
Official URL
Rights statement
In Copyright