Name:
Cymbospondylus (Greek for "boat-shaped vertebrae"); pronounced SIM-bo-SPON-dill-us
Habitat:
Shore of North America and Western Europe
Historical Period:
Middle Triassic (220 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 25 feet long; weight unknown
Diet:
Fish and marine organisms
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Large size; long snout; lack of dorsal fin
About Cymbospondylus:
There's a bit of a disagreement among paleontologists about where Cymbospondylus is located on the ichthyosaur ("fish lizard") family tree: some think this huge swimmer was a genuine ichthyosaur, while others speculate that it was an earlier aquatic reptile from which later ichthyosaurs evolved. Supporting the second camp is Cymbospondylus’ lack of two distinctive ichthyosaur traits, a dorsal (back) fin and a flexible, fish-like tail.
Whatever the case, Cymbospondylus was certainly a giant of the Triassic seas, attaining lengths of 25 feet or more. It probably fed on fish, mollusks, and any smaller aquatic reptiles dumb enough to swim too near.
