Ichthyosaurs are among the few fossils that Wallowa Mountains has from the Age of Dinosaurs. They were fish-like reptiles that first appeared about 250 million years ago and quickly diversified into highly capable swimmers, filling a broad range of sizes and ecologies early in the age of dinosaurs.

“Ichthyosaurs evolved a fish-like body and tail fin, giving birth to live young rather than laying eggs, and lots of different feeding styles,” said Dr. Ben Moon of the University of Bristol in Britain.

There are over 100 known species of ichthyosaur from between 250-90 million years ago in the Mesozoic Era, when the infamous dinosaurs ruled the land Marine reptiles were top predators that filled comparable roles to dolphins, orcas, and sharks in modern seas.

“Ichthyosaurs really dominated early in the Triassic (252-201 million years ago), (Our ichthyosaur is a middle Triassic, about 230 million years old.) However, the seas quickly became more crowded and competitive, and ichthyosaurs lost their top position in the Jurassic (201-145 million years ago) to other marine reptiles like plesiosaurs and pliosaurs.

“It seems that this lack of variety was eventually the cause of their extinction when global conditions became less favorable around 90 million years ago.” Moon said.