Fossil blubber shows ichthyosaurs were warm blooded rep

[JacksinPA]

https://www.newscientist.com/articl...hows-ichthyosaurs-were-warm-blooded-reptiles/

The discovery of blubber in an ichthyosaur fossil suggests these ancient marine reptiles were probably warm blooded, as has long been suspected.

Icthyosaurs have a striking resemblance to modern dolphins. They evolved from land reptiles that colonized the seas 250 million years ago and thrived until around 90 million years ago, meaning they lived alongside the dinosaurs.
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This 180-million year old fossil of Stenopterygius from Germany is so well preserved that individual skin pigment cells could be seen under a microscope. Like modern dolphins, these reptiles employed what's called countershading: the underside was light colored & the top side was dark colored, making the animal harder to see in the water.

 

[Dittohead not!]

https://www.newscientist.com/articl...hows-ichthyosaurs-were-warm-blooded-reptiles/

The discovery of blubber in an ichthyosaur fossil suggests these ancient marine reptiles were probably warm blooded, as has long been suspected.

Icthyosaurs have a striking resemblance to modern dolphins. They evolved from land reptiles that colonized the seas 250 million years ago and thrived until around 90 million years ago, meaning they lived alongside the dinosaurs.
==========================================
This 180-million year old fossil of Stenopterygius from Germany is so well preserved that individual skin pigment cells could be seen under a microscope. Like modern dolphins, these reptiles employed what's called countershading: the underside was light colored & the top side was dark colored, making the animal harder to see in the water.

Warm blooded reptiles, no less.

But, how can they be so sure that the were reptiles at all? Could have been something previously unknown. Fascinating.

and no one had to do this: