What was Mixosaurus?
Q: What was Mixosaurus?
A: Mixosaurus was a small, common and cosmopolitan Triassic ichthyosaur.
Q: How long was Mixosaurus?
A: Mixosaurus was only about a meter in length.
Q: Where have fossils of Mixosaurus been found?
A: Fossils of Mixosaurus are known from Alaska, Canada, China, Timor, Indonesia, Italy, Nevada, New Zealand, Spitsbergen, and Svalbard.
Q: Where did Mixosaurus live?
A: Mixosaurus lived in the Tethys Sea but also ventured further afield.
Q: What is Mixosaurus considered to be in terms of the evolution of ichthyosaurs?
A: Mixosaurus seems to have been a transitional form between the more primitive eel-shaped icthyosaurs such as Cymbospondylus and the more advanced Shatsasaurs and Euichthyosaurs.
Q: What are some examples of the more advanced ichthyosaurs?
A: The more advanced ichthyosaurs include Shatsasaurs and Euichthyosaurs, which include the familiar dolphin- or porpoise-shaped icthyosaurs.
Q: How does Mixosaurus compare to other ichthyosaurs in terms of size and abundance?
A: Mixosaurus was small and common, making it a ubiquitous ichthyosaur during the Triassic period.
