Ichthyosaurus fossil map
Where fossils of Ichthyosaurus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 201 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 201 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Ichthyosaurs |
|---|---|
| Lived | 227.3–100.5 million years ago (Norian to Albian) |
| Periods | Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous |
| Family | Ichthyosauridae |
| Named by | Koenig 1818 |
| Fossil records | 101 occurrences at 65 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | UK, France, Chile, United States, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Argentina, Mexico … |
| Rock formations | txn:38877, Blue Lias, White Lias, Alum Shale, Westbury, Luning |
About Ichthyosaurus
Ichthyosaurus (derived from Greek ἰχθύς (ichthys) meaning 'fish' and σαῦρος (sauros) meaning 'lizard') is an extinct genus of ichthyosaurs from the Early Jurassic (Hettangian - Pliensbachian) of Europe (Belgium, England, Germany and Portugal). Some specimens of the ichthyosaurid Protoichthyosaurus from England and Switzerland have been erroneously referred to this genus in the past. It is among the best known ichthyosaur genera, as it is the type genus of the order Ichthyosauria.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Ichthyosaurus (revision 1379848006), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 22 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q131565.
