Reposted by The Heaps Good Guy!
#FossilFriday & ahead of next week's fossil marine reptile conference @morethanadodo.bsky.social, here are some of Mary Anning's most impressive ichthyosaur finds @nhm-london.bsky.social, including the 'first' ichthyosaur of 1811–12, the large 1832 Temnodontosaurus, & big vertebrae of the mid-1830s.
![Top, title of the published paper 'On the discovery of an almost perfect specimen of the Plesiosaurus by the Rev. W.D. Conybeare'; right, portrait of Conybeare; left, centre, the later published plate of the specimen showing is unexpectedly long neck; left, bottom, extract from a book by Gideon Mantell 'The specimen... was discovered and developed by the late Mary Anning, of Lyme Regis and purchased by the late Duke of Buckingham for (I believe) 105£ [it was £110]. I had the pleasure of being present when Mr Conybeare read the Memoir at the meeting if the Geological Society in Bedford Street, Covent Garden; the specimen was placed in the vestibule at the entrance, for want of room' [actually it was too big and too heavy to carry upstairs].](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vcl75pfg74dsskrzvynq5rez/bafkreihqhsk4widyx7imcsxo3wpa4kmnbrobqx5m7syp7dtblwhukznvwu)
