The scene here is of three Ichthyosaurs feeding on a shoal of fish. This is an interesting creation as although our eyes are drawn to the action of the marine reptiles and the energetic shoal, looking closer you can see a number of ammonites in the background and also squid around the edges. These squid are responsible for the fossil belemnites that can be found in the Oxford Clay, they are long guards that end in a point and provide some protection for the animal. Nicholls has depicted these squid ejecting ink like modern day squid, a nice addition as it is possible to find the remains of this ink sack in some fossils, although this is very rare.
Another aspect I find interesting is the Ichthyosaur's appearance, the large eye and long snout show the key adaptations of these animals. Giving the Ichthyosaur a keen eyesight in the murky waters combined with a slender snout to pierce through the water to snatch prey, making it a real danger for anything unfortunate enough to come face to face with this predator.
Nicholls appears to have taken some inspiration from the behaviour of modern dolphins. These mammals attack shoals of fish in a similar way to the Ichthyosaurs in this artwork, taking it in turns to dart through the shoal and grab a meal.
So what do you think of this piece, do you find it as interesting as I do? Let me know in the comments what your favourite thing is or another piece of artwork that you particularly like.
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