Thalattoarchon fossil map
Where fossils of Thalattoarchon have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 252 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 252 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 | 244.4–243.43 million years ago |
| Periods | Triassic |
| Named by | Fröbisch et al. 2013 |
| Fossil records | 1 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | Favret |
About Thalattoarchon
Thalattoarchon is a genus of large, Middle Triassic predatory ichthyosaurs from North America, containing the single species T. saurophagis. The taxon was described in 2013 from a single partial skeleton discovered in Nevada. The generic name, meaning "ruler of the seas", refers to its status as an apex predator, while the specific epithet, meaning "lizard eater", alludes to its carnivorous diet. As an ichthyosaur, Thalattoarchon had flippers for limbs and a fin on the tail. It was a large ichthyosaur, with an estimated length of between 8 and 9 meters (26 and 30 ft). The animal had a long, slender body but with a proportionally large head and a straight, elongated tail. The jaws of Thalattoarchon feature large teeth with two cutting edges of up to 12 centimeters (4.7 in). Although the fossils are incomplete, the animal would have had a skeleton comprising at least 60 presacral vertebrae.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Thalattoarchon (revision 1377150984), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q2756895.
