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Stenopterygius quadricissus, Ichthyosaur skull

Stenopterygius quadriscissus is an extinct genus of ichthyosaur from the Early to Middle Jurassic from Europe. Maximum length was 4 m. The habits of Stenopterygius were similar to those of present-day dolphins. It spent most of its life in the open sea, where it hunted fish, cephalopods and other animals. Ichthyosaur infants were born tail-first, to prevent them from drowning before fully clearing the birth canal. Stenopterygius was a very fast swimmer, with a cruising speed similar to that of tuna, which is among the fastest of all living fishes.

The original specimen was found in the Jurassic of Germany.