Soft tissue shows Jurassic ichthyosaur was warm-blooded, had blubber and camouflage

An ancient, dolphin-like marine reptile resembles its distant relative in more than appearance, according to an international team of researchers. Molecular and microstructural analysis of a Stenopterygius ichthyosaur from the Jurassic (180 million years ago) reveals that these animals were most likely warm-blooded, had insulating blubber and used their coloration as camouflage from predators.

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