‘Fish-lizard’ fossil from Kutch is a Jurassic first:

‘Fish-lizard’ fossil from Kutch is a Jurassic first:

Context:

• A  Jurassic-era fossil of an animal that looks like an amalgamation of dolphin and lizard has been discovered in Kutch, Gujarat.

What was the discovery?

• This is the first time an ichthyosaur fossil has been discovered in India.
• The 5.5 metre-long skeleton is thought to belong to the Ophthalmosauridae family, which likely lived between 165 and 90 million years ago.
• The way the creature’s teeth were worn out suggest it ate animals with thick and bony coverings

How is the discovery important?

• This is a remarkable discovery because it is the first Jurassic ichthyosaur record from India.
• It also throws light on the evolution and diversity of ichthyosaurs in the Indo-Madagascan region and India’s biological connectivity with other continents in the Jurassic.
• The identification of the new specimen may further throw light on whether there was any marine connection between India and South America about 150 million years ago.

What is Ichthyosaur?

• Ichthyosaur first appeared in the early Triassic period (251 million to 199 million years ago).
• The name means fish-lizard, although the creature has been classified as a reptile since the mid-19th Century.
• Its length ranged from 1m to 14m – although the average length was 2m to 3m.
• The creature was noted for its sharp, robust teeth.
  Ichthyosaurs became extinct around 90 million years ago.