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Description
Not my best piece honestly, but after the discovery of this WICKED Ichthyosaur, I couldn't help myself either way, lol.

This here is Kyhytysuka sachicarum, a new genus of macropredatory heterodont Ophthalmosaurid from the Early Cretaceous Paja Formation in Colombia. This new genus was originally assigned to "Platypterygius" sachicarum. However, new studies show that this is a completely separate genus with a VERY unique anatomy. Its adaptations suggest that Kyhytysuka was a shallow water hunter. And along with that, it's the first ever Ichthyosaur to be found outside of Triassic rocks to show different sets of teeth. In its jaws, it has piercing teeth at the front, cutting teeth in the middle, and teeth made for crushing its prey at the back! And if that wasn't enough, its jaws were backed by powerful muscles enabling it to open its jaws 75°. Allowing it to swallow large prey whole! This new Ichthyosaur gives us an example as to how they attempted to have an apex predator niche again, just like their ancestors in the Triassic - Early Jurassic.

The small Pliosaur being hunted in the background is a juvenile Kronosaurus boyacensis. The only other Kronosaurus species known. It was found in the same formation, living in the same time and place. It was described back in 1992.

Article:
Re-appearance of hypercarnivore ichthyosaurs in the Cretaceous with differentiated dentition: revision of ‘Platypterygius’ sachicarum (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria, Ophthalmosauridae) from Colombia
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/1…

Description
Not my best piece honestly, but after the discovery of this WICKED Ichthyosaur, I couldn't help myself either way, lol.

This here is Kyhytysuka sachicarum, a new genus of macropredatory heterodont Ophthalmosaurid from the Early Cretaceous Paja Formation in Colombia. This new genus was originally assigned to "Platypterygius" sachicarum. However, new studies show that this is a completely separate genus with a VERY unique anatomy. Its adaptations suggest that Kyhytysuka was a shallow water hunter. And along with that, it's the first ever Ichthyosaur to be found outside of Triassic rocks to show different sets of teeth. In its jaws, it has piercing teeth at the front, cutting teeth in the middle, and teeth made for crushing its prey at the back! And if that wasn't enough, its jaws were backed by powerful muscles enabling it to open its jaws 75°. Allowing it to swallow large prey whole! This new Ichthyosaur gives us an example as to how they attempted to have an apex predator niche again, just like their ancestors in the Triassic - Early Jurassic.

The small Pliosaur being hunted in the background is a juvenile Kronosaurus boyacensis. The only other Kronosaurus species known. It was found in the same formation, living in the same time and place. It was described back in 1992.

Article:
Re-appearance of hypercarnivore ichthyosaurs in the Cretaceous with differentiated dentition: revision of ‘Platypterygius’ sachicarum (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria, Ophthalmosauridae) from Colombia
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/1…