Ichthyosaur Vertebra Bone Fossil Kimmeridge Clay Jurassic Weymouth Dorset UK

Description

Ichthyosaur Vertebra Fossil

This genuine ichthyosaur vertebra bone fossil is an evocative piece of Jurassic history, identified with the Kimmeridge Clay and Kimmeridgian stage. Ichthyosaurs were extinct marine reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic Era, often described as belonging to the dinosaur age, although they were reptiles rather than dinosaurs. Their streamlined bodies and aquatic adaptations made them highly successful marine predators, and their fossil remains are valued by collectors interested in prehistoric life, palaeontology and Jurassic geology.

Geological Identification

The specimen is identified as an ichthyosaur vertebra from the Kimmeridge Clay, Kimmeridgian, Jurassic. The Kimmeridge Clay is widely recognised for its important fossil record and its association with marine Jurassic deposits. Vertebrae are part of the axial skeleton and are especially interesting because they relate to the structure and movement of the animal’s body. An ichthyosaur vertebra can provide a tangible connection to the anatomy of these remarkable marine reptiles and to the ancient environments in which they lived.

Locality and Collection

Locality: Weymouth, Dorset, UK.

From the Alice Purnell Collection

Weymouth and the Dorset coast are renowned areas for Jurassic fossil collecting and geological study. This specimen is suitable for a private fossil collection, educational display, cabinet of curiosities, natural history presentation or as a distinctive gift for anyone interested in ichthyosaurs, Jurassic fossils and British geology. Its identification links it to both a recognisable fossil group and a particularly important geological interval.

Collector Interest

Ichthyosaur fossils are sought after for their connection to ancient marine ecosystems and the evolution of reptiles adapted to life in the sea. A vertebra offers a different perspective from more familiar tooth or shell fossils, focusing attention on the internal framework and locomotion of the animal. The Kimmeridgian age further places this fossil within the Late Jurassic, a period known for diverse marine faunas and major developments in the fossil record.

The specimen can be incorporated into displays focused on Jurassic palaeontology, marine reptiles, Dorset geology, the Kimmeridge Clay or the wider history of life. It also makes a useful teaching aid when discussing geological time, fossil preservation, vertebrate anatomy and the distinction between marine reptiles and dinosaurs.

Authenticity and Photograph Information

This Fossil is a genuine specimen and Includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card.

The photograph shows the actual specimen you will receive.

Full sizing is shown in the photographs.

Please review the photographs carefully for the specimen’s appearance, visible surface detail and presentation. The fossil is supplied as an individual collector specimen from the Alice Purnell Collection, with its ichthyosaur vertebra identification and Kimmeridge Clay, Kimmeridgian, Jurassic association forming the central focus of its geological interest.