199 MILLION YEARS B.P. EARLY JURASSIC PERIOD ICHTHYOSAUR (MARINE DINOSAUR) COPROLITE

• This finely preserved 199 million year old Ichthyosaur (marine dinosaur) coprolite is a rare opportunity to own an important piece of natural history from the Early Jurassic Period. This unique Ichthyosaur coprolite contains fish-bone inclusions, providing physical evidence that the Ichthyosaur crushed and consumed large quantities of bone when feeding on it`s prey.Pieces such as this are rarely found outside of museums.
• Ichthyosaurians thrived during much of the Mesozoic era; based on fossil evidence, they first appeared around 250 million years ago (Ma) and at least one species survived until about 90 million years ago, into the Late Cretaceous. During the Early Triassic epoch, ichthyosaurs and other ichthyosauromorphs evolved from a group of unidentified land reptiles that returned to the sea, in a development similar to how the mammalian land-dwelling ancestors of modern-day dolphins and whales returned to the sea millions of years later, which they gradually came to resemble in a case of convergent evolution. Ichthyosaurians were particularly abundant in the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic periods. Ichthyosaurians diversity declined due to environmental volatility caused by climatic upheavals in the early Late Cretaceous, becoming extinct around the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary approximately 90 million years ago.Ichthyosaurian species varied from 1 to 26 metres (3 to 85 ft) in length. Ichthyosaurians resembled both modern fish and dolphins. Their limbs had been fully transformed into flippers, which sometimes contained a very large number of digits and phalanges. At least some species possessed a dorsal fin. Their heads were pointed, and the jaws often were equipped with conical teeth to catch prey. Some species had larger, bladed teeth to attack large animals. The eyes were very large, for deep diving. The neck was short, and later species had a rather stiff trunk. These also had a more vertical tail fin, used for a powerful propulsive stroke. The vertebral column, made of simplified disc-like vertebrae, continued into the lower lobe of the tail fin. Ichthyosaurians were air-breathing, warm-blooded, and bore live young.
• Coprolite is fossilized faeces. Coprolites are classified as trace fossils, as they give evidence for the animal`s behaviour. They serve a valuable purpose in palaeontology because they provide direct evidence of the predation and diet of extinct organisms.
• Dated to 199 Million Years Before Present (Early Jurassic Period).
• Size: 53mm x 30mm x 14mm
• Provenance: Discovered in Broad Ledge, near Church Cliffs, Lyme Regis, Dorset, England, 2004. Has since been held in an important collection in Leicestershire, United Kingdom.
• Condition: This piece is extremely well preserved and remains in excellent condition - refer images.
• Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Internationally recognised BidSafe authentication and verification number: 4998153-16)
• Inspected and verified by an archaeologist and prominent historical author with a PhD in archaeology. (SN:4998153-16) (315842-1)

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