Ancient Ichthyosaur Mother Did Not Explode, Scientists Say An
ichthyosaur female with embryos scattered outside her body. It
is unlikely that the body of a mother ichthyosaur exploded, say
researchers who offer another explanation for the scattered
remains of embryos found around her in rock that was once deep
underwater. Rather, the scattering of the embryos was probably
caused by minor sea currents after the expectant mother died and
her body decayed some 182 million years ago, the researchers
propose. If this scenario sounds confusing, it is important to
know that ichthyosaurs, extinct marine reptiles that lived at
the same time as the dinosaurs, did not lay eggs but rather
carried their young in their bodies until they gave birth.
Ichthyosaurs resembled fish but, unlike most fish, breathed air
through lungs. The nearly intact skeleton of the female
ichthyosaur in question was found in Holzmaden, Germany. But the
remains of most of the approximately 10 embryos were scattered
far outside her body it. Other