180 Million Year Old Ichthyosaur Fossil Reveals Whale-Like Blubber Under the Skin
Comparison between artificially matured modern porpoise integument and fossil ichthyosaur blubber. To the left, cross-section through porpoise skin and blubber before decay experiments. In the centre, side (top) and internal (bottom) views of heat- and pressure-treated porpoise integument (note severe reduction of the blubber layer). To the right, side (top) and internal (bottom) views of fossilized ichthyosaur skin and blubber.
(Picture: Johan Lindgren and Martin Jarenmark)
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