HAPPY #FossilFriday! This is the world's largest marine reptile and icthyosaur, Shonisaurus sikanniensis! See me? I'm not even the size of one paddle! . Discovered in the early 1990s along the bank of the Sikanni Chief River in northeastern British Columbia, scientists were deterred from excavating the specimen due to its size, (the creature measured a spectacular 21 metres in length) and remote location. However, Dr. Betsy Nicholls and her crew recognized its scientific value and vulnerability (there was a high risk of damage due to submersion) and embraced the challenge. It took three field sessions (1999-2001) to excavate this "Triassic Giant" from its remote resting place. . Measuring 21 metres in length, this ichthyosaur dates back to the Triassic, over 220 million years ago. Dr. Nicholls' research concluded that it was 30% larger than its nearest relative, and was indeed the world's largest-known marine reptile. Lacking teeth, they also determined it was the earliest-known example of a giant filter-feeding vertebrate. . #paleontology #icthyosaur #marinereptile #shonisaurus #museum #fossil #notadinosaur #sealizard #triassic #paleontologist #stem #wearestemsquad #womeninstem #ocean #extinct #vertebrate #water #fossils #canada #drumheller #royaltyrrellmuseum (at Royal Tyrrell Museum)
