Overview
- Excavators at the Mistelgau clay pit near Bayreuth uncovered a 180‑million‑year‑old ichthyosaur attributed to the genus Temnodontosaurus.
- Study authors say the fossil is among the youngest known for that genus, indicating these predators lasted longer in the region than records showed.
- Bone changes around the shoulder girdle and the jaw joint point to serious injuries that would have made catching prey harder.
- Researchers found worn teeth and gastroliths, small stones swallowed to help grind food, which are rare in ichthyosaurs and hint at a shift in diet.
- The find includes skull and jaw fragments, parts of the shoulder girdle, forefins, spine sections, and over 100 teeth, yet it is too incomplete for a species ID and further analysis is underway.