The ichthyosaur
Val Gardena's most famous fossil
The most famous fossil in Val Gardena is definitely the ichthyosaur found on the Seceda mountain. This large marine reptile, around 5 meters long, was the largest predator of its time (241-240 million years ago). As much of its skeleton is missing, it cannot definitely be allocated to a specific genus. Yet it remains a very significant discovery, as it is practically unique in the Early Ladinian period, a time of crisis for these marine reptiles.
Main category:
Geology
Subcategory:
Fossils
Epoch:Trias
Area(s):Ortisei
GPS coordinates:@11.72929,46.60106