by Keyser » Thu Apr 12, 2018 1:39 pm
On the Super Giant Icthyosaur - in the paper they state evidence that the remains of another specimen 30% larger than the 26 metre individual.
That means 34 metres and bigger than the longest recorded Blue whale!
Albeit speculative until more complete fossils are found -
The same method has its limitations, but a comparison can be made to the Aust specimen (BRSMG Cb3869) that might be a portion of surangular. The maximum cross-sectional dimension of the Aust fragment is 13.8 cm ([15]; DRL, PDLS pers. obs.), which is similar in cross-sectional shape to a portion of the Lilstock surangular anterior to the coronoid, where the bone is roughly cylindrical. That region of the Lilstock specimen has a dorsoventral height of 10.6–9.2 cm, suggesting that the Aust ichthyosaur was a much larger animal, perhaps more than 30% larger. If the Aust specimen is a portion of the dentary or premaxilla, then the ichthyosaur was probably even larger. Of course, considering that the Lilstock and Aust bones represent only portions of the lower jaw, these estimates are very speculative.