Mary Anning finally gets her name on a species of Ichthyosaurus

A remarkable discovery in the fossil collection of the Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery has led to the naming of a new species.  

 Ichthyosaurus anningae

 A new species of Ichthyosaurus.

 Picture Credit: Dean Lomax and Judy Massare

 The name honours Dorset fossil collector Mary Anning.

It was Mary, along with her brother Joseph, who found the first Ichthyosaurus fossils to be scientifically studied in 1811.

 Until now, no species of Ichthyosaurus has been given her name, so this is long overdue.

Dean Lomax, Honorary Scientist at The University of Manchester, examined the specimen in 2008.  

Working with Professor Judy Massare of Brockport College, New York, Dean spent over five years comparing the Doncaster Ichthyosaur with other museum specimens from around the world.

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