Ichthyosaurus marine reptile fossils aged 160 finally reconstructed by experts. According to paleontologists, the reconstruction of this ancient animal is the most recent in the world of science.
Reconstruction of ancient animal fossils is not a new thing. It aims to understand how the star lived millions of years ago.
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Ichthyosaurus Marine Reptile Fossil Reconstruction Scientist
A study led by paleontologist Mats Eriksson from Lund University in Sweden has successfully reconstructed an ichthyosaur fossil.
The 160-year-old animal fossil is an aquatic reptile. The discovery of the fossil was also horrendous because it got the nickname of the sea dragon.
Ichthyosaurus is a type of animal that lived in the Mesozoic era along with the dinosaurs. This animal resembles a dolphin.
During its lifetime, Ichthyosaurs hunted their prey by swimming in the ocean. Recently, paleontologists discovered the soft tissue of an ichthyosaur that had been preserved.
These findings are of course very useful for more in-depth research on ichthyosaurs. Experts eventually used the information to find out more about what the ichthyosaurs really looked like.
Mats Eriksson and team finally collected data and analyzed previous studies on ichthyosaurs that were useful to simplify the research process.
“We present an overview of ichthyosaur research as well as their lifestyle iconography with a particular focus on soft tissue structure, including aspects of coloration and thermoregulation,” the researchers wrote in their paper.
Of the many references, this time the research team only focused on fossils in Germany’s Posidonia Shale. The reason is, in the fossil, the body parts of Ichthyosaurus are almost complete.
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Fossil Reconstruction Using 3D Printing
The process of reconstructing the marine reptile fossil Ichthyosaurus takes a long time. Using clay molds and 3D printing, the reconstruction process was only completed after one year.
The results of the reconstruction of Ichthyosaurus fossils are also very remarkable. In fact, it is reported that this reconstruction process is the best and most complete Ichthyosaur research.
Researchers found the fact that Ichthyosaurs had skins that were more like leatherback turtles, which are today’s marine reptiles. Ichthyosaurus skin texture feels smooth.
The conclusion from previous studies is that ichthyosaurs lost scales during their evolutionary transition to the sea.
In addition, the reconstruction also managed to show the fossil marine reptile Ichthyosaur has a thick layer of fat that protects it from cold temperatures.
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There is also evidence that these melanocytes were cellular organelles containing dark pigments that would protect the ichthyosaurs from UV rays.
“Our reconstruction represents the most modern scientific interpretation of what an ichthyosaur looked like. This will be invaluable for students and researchers who want to learn more about ichthyosaurs of the past,” explained Eriksson.
The reconstruction of the marine reptile Ichthyosaur fossil provides greater hope for information on these ancient animals. That way, in the future researchers can more easily study the life of Ichthyosaurs. (R10/HR-Online)
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