Fernatator, new ichthyosaur from Early Jurassic of British Columbia (free pdf)
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Ben Creisler
Jun 11, 2025, 10:11:38 PMJun 11
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Ben Creisler
A new paper:
Free pdf:
Fernatator prenticei gen. and sp. nov.
Judy A. Massare, Murray Edmunds, Robert J. Morris, Terence P. Poulton, Shyong En Pan, and Jordan C. Mallon (2025)
The most complete Early Jurassic ichthyosaur from North America
Paludicola 15(2): 86–99
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392596228_The_most_complete_Early_Jurassic_ichthyosaur_from_North_America
We describe the most complete ichthyosaur skeleton so far known from the Early Jurassic of North America. The specimen is from the lower Fernie Formation, near the townsite of Fernie, British Columbia. The local strata are poorly exposed, hampering more precise stratigraphic correlation. Ammonites associated with the specimen suggest an Early Pliensbachian age. The specimen, although poorly preserved, displays a unique combination of characters sufficient to designate a new genus and species, Fernatator prenticei gen. et sp. nov. It is characterized by a tall, bar-like postorbital, a short, straight jugal that does not extend beyond the orbit anteriorly or posteriorly, a long, narrow anterior process of the maxilla, and a coracoid with a broadly curved lateral edge and a deep anterior notch, among other features. It represents an important addition to the meagre North American record of Early Jurassic ichthyosaurs and the second taxon to be recognized from the Early Jurassic of Canada.
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Fernatator prenticei gen. and sp. nov.
Judy A. Massare, Murray Edmunds, Robert J. Morris, Terence P. Poulton, Shyong En Pan, and Jordan C. Mallon (2025)
The most complete Early Jurassic ichthyosaur from North America
Paludicola 15(2): 86–99
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392596228_The_most_complete_Early_Jurassic_ichthyosaur_from_North_America
We describe the most complete ichthyosaur skeleton so far known from the Early Jurassic of North America. The specimen is from the lower Fernie Formation, near the townsite of Fernie, British Columbia. The local strata are poorly exposed, hampering more precise stratigraphic correlation. Ammonites associated with the specimen suggest an Early Pliensbachian age. The specimen, although poorly preserved, displays a unique combination of characters sufficient to designate a new genus and species, Fernatator prenticei gen. et sp. nov. It is characterized by a tall, bar-like postorbital, a short, straight jugal that does not extend beyond the orbit anteriorly or posteriorly, a long, narrow anterior process of the maxilla, and a coracoid with a broadly curved lateral edge and a deep anterior notch, among other features. It represents an important addition to the meagre North American record of Early Jurassic ichthyosaurs and the second taxon to be recognized from the Early Jurassic of Canada.
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