I.—Note on a Mounted Skeleton of Ophthalmosaurus icenicus, Seeley

Abstract

One of the most important additions recently made to the Gallery of Fossil Reptilia at the Natural History Museum, is a mounted skeleton of the highly specialized Ichthyosaur known as Ophthalmosaurus icenicus, Seeley. This reptile presents many. peculiarities, for the most part indicating a very high degree of adaptation for life in the open sea and for rapid movement through the water, probably sometimes at considerable depths. In fact, Ophthalmosaurus may be regarded as representing among the Reptilia the swiftly swimming toothed-whales among the Mammalia, and it is interesting to note that the similar mode of life in the two cases has produced in some respects similar modifications. Thus the front paddles are enlarged, the hind ones reduced; in whales the latter have disappeared altogether. Again, there was a large caudal fin, vertical in this case, and the head was elongated, the snout sharp, and the neck so short as to be practically non-existent. The enlargement of the fore-paddles is brought about by the presence of a very large pisiform bone, which together with the radius and ulna articulates with the humerus, thus forming a very broad base for the expanded terminal portion of the paddle. Another striking peculiarity is the great reduction of the dentition, the teeth in the adult being very small and confined to the front of the jaws. Baptanodon, an American form very closely allied to, if not identical with, Ophthalmosaurus, was for a long time regarded as toothless. This reduced dentition, so unlike what is usually found in members of the group, must indicate some considerable change in the nature of the food, but what this was is unknown.