Monsters of the Sea by Darrell Wiskur

Art & Study Notes for "Monsters of the Sea"

Ancient Nautilus
Nautilus living today are the only living relative of fossil Ammonites.

Diagram of the ancient Ammonite illustrates that it is basically the same as the modern-day Nautilus.

Ancient Ammonite
Almost all of the cephalopods alive today have an almost direct ancient relative. For example, the diagram of the ancient Ammonite illustrates that it is basically the same as the modern-day nautilus. There were many, many more species in ancient times than there are now because of extinction through environmental changes with time.

The ancient Archelon turtle is very much the same as the marine turtles living today except the Archelon was much bigger.

Archelon
The ancient Archelon turtle is very much the same as the marine turtles living today except the Archelon was just much bigger. There are different species of turtles that look different—both ancient and modern—but they are still the same “kind” of creature—turtles.

Archelon Skeleton

Claudiosaurus Marine Reptile
The Claudiosaurus marine reptile is similar to marine iguanas that live and feed in the sea today. Our book covers ancient sea life from shore to deep ocean in relation to God's creation.

Dolychorynchops

The Ichtyosaur is extinct but their close species is not extinct.

Ichthyosaur
The Ichthyosaur is extinct but their close species is not extinct. They were stunted and a fraction of the size, but they are the same shape. We have fossils of ancient dolphins that are the same basic structure and physical form as today's river dolphins, such as the Boto. The Boto is on the endangered list. There are only about 500 in the wild.

Ichtyosaur Fossil
Consider the present-day river dolphin, almost extinct and unusual looking, prehistoric. Well, they are ancient. The Onderkaak dolphin has the same skeletal design of the Shonisaurus.

Mesonychoteuthis Squid
For some reason there are squid in the sea the very same kind that swam the very first day.

The 30-foot Mosasaurus Conodon had quite an appetite

Mosasaurus Conodon
The Mosasaurus Conodon was a 30-foot predator with a ferocious attitude that ate any marine reptile or fish they could catch. They would also attack and eat other Mosasaurus or Plesiosaurs. The fossil records show a variety of marine creatures in their stomach.

Mosasaurus skeleton

The understide of a Protostega turtle skeletan

Protostega turtle skeleton
We are assuming that the protostega's main diet was jellyfish, but as far as I can find, it is not known. If his appetite and lifestyle were the same as today's counterpart, he mainly ate jellyfish, slower moving ammonites, cephalopods, and possibly, some plant life.

Shonisaurus with belemites
The Shonisaurus was the biggest Ichthyosaurus found fossil. It grew to be 50-feet long, and its main food was belemites, fish, and various cephalopods. His long snout had teeth towards the front, enabling him to catch and hold large fish, which it was able to swallow whole. The Shonisaurus had very long paddles, and the front paddles were the same size as the rear paddles.

Shonisaurus fossil

Squid (Colossal) and Giant Squid

Squid anatomy diagram
The diagram is of the modern-day squid, which has an ink sack. The modern squid is the same as the ancient squid fossils found worldwide. Squid are now and always have been a major food source for sea life.

Squid (Late Discovery)
Deep-sea squid, discovered post-tsunami, December 2004.

The Stethacanthus shark were sea-to-shore roamers of the past.

Stethacanthus Shark
The Stethacanthus shark had a most unusual dorsal fin that had an unknown function. They were open sea-to-shore roamers, and it is possible that they could have used that rough, brush dorsal to rout other fish from over-hanging coral and rocks or to “brush-off” mollusks of all types to eat.

Stethacanthus Shark Dorsal Fin
Or, as some scientists thing, that it was a clasp for holding a female. There is some school of thought that only the male had the large comb brush and that the female had a normal shaped shark-type dorsal fin. They had a specific function or they would not have been created that way. We just have not determined its function.

Stethacanthus Shark Skeleton

Styxosaurus Snowii Elasmosaurus

Styxosaurus Snowii
Elasmosaurus Fossil skeletons of the Styxosaurus indicate the creature grew to 30-45 feet long. Its main food was fish, and it foraged for cephalopods and crustaceans. It probably roamed kelp forests as well as marine overhangs to catch its prey. With its long, strong, snake-like neck, it was easily able to ambush fast moving prey.

Styxosaurus Snowii
Elasmosaurus fossil skeletons of the Styxosaurus indicate the creature grew to 30-45 feet long.

Ancient flying fish skeleton fossil is much like today's flying fish in both size and components.

Thoracopterus
Ancient flying fish skeleton fossil so much like today's flying fish in both size and components, we cannot find much difference between today's flying fish and the Thoracopterus in the ancient sea.

Xiphactinus
The Xiphactinus was truly a terror of the sea. It grew 15- to 20-feet long, with a mouth full of dagger sharp teeth and an attitude to match its appetite. The Xiphactinus was a predator that would swallow large fish whole. It was able to roam shallow or deep waters.

Xiphactinus Skeleton

The Zygorhiza whale was a lethal predator.

Zygorhiza
This small whale must have been a lethal predator. It had a large head compared to its body. Fossil records show that its main diet was squid, fish, belemites, and all types of cephalopods. Judging by its natural equipment, the Zygorhiza was strong, fast, and furious.

Zygorhiza skeleton

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