32 



Ichthyosauria. 



Wall-case, 

 No. 14, 

 Table-cases, 

 Nos. 4 and 5. 



Order VII.— ICHTHYOSAURIA (Fish-Lizards). 



These great marine carnivorous reptiles had very short 

 necks (see Woodciit, Fig. 43), probably not visible at all ex- 



FiG. 38. — Left lateral aspect of the skull of Ichthyosaurus communis (Conybeare); from 

 the Lower Lias, Lyme Regis, Dorset (about i nat. size). The body was entirely devoid 

 of any hard exo-skeleton. 



Fi<3. 39. — Left lateral and anterior aspects of the centrum of an early posterior dorsal 

 vertebra of Ichthi/nsaurui trigoinis (Owen); Kimmeridge Clay, Stanton, a, upper, 

 b, lower costal tubercle. 



Fig. 40. — The centrum of an anterior dorsal \srtehxdiOf Ichthyosaurus cnthcciodon (Hulke); 

 Kimmeridge Clay, Wilts, a, section: b, anterior aspect; c, left lateral aspect. 



ternally. The vertebrtB are numerous and deeply biconcave (see 

 Fig. 40, A). They are primarily divisible into a precaudal 



