Biology:Hector's ichthyosaur
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Hector's ichthyosaur, or the New Zealand ichthyosaur, is an unidentified extinct genus of ichthyosaur discovered in 1874. Its remains have been lost, and it may be the largest animal ever to have existed.[1] It was named by Richard Lydekker in honor of James Hector.[2]
Description
Based on the 45 centimetres (18 in) vertebrae of the ichthyosaur and its likely placement in Shastasauridae, it is possible that it reached twice the size of Shastasaurus and may have even outsized the blue whale which is otherwise believed to be the largest known animal.[3] The animal would have likely resembled related taxon like Shastasaurus in appearance.
See also
- List of dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles of New Zealand
- Largest prehistoric animals
References
- ↑ Zammit, Maria (2010). "A review of Australasian ichthyosaurs". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology 34 (3): 281–292. doi:10.1080/03115511003663939.
- ↑ Merriam, John C. (1908). Triassic Ichthyosauria: With Special Reference to the American Forms. The University Press. p. 154. https://books.google.com/books?id=-m8cAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA154. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
- ↑ Fleming, C. A.; Gregg, D. R.; Welles, S. P. (1971). "New Zealand Ichthyosaurs—a summary, including new records from the Cretaceous". New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 14 (4): 734–741. doi:10.1080/00288306.1971.10426331.
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