Domestic Science: the recovery of an ichthyosaur skull

In May 2016, Andrew Wass and the author recovered much of an ichthyosaur (ophthalmosaurid) skull from the foreshore of Smallmouth Sands in Weymouth, Dorset, UK. This provided an opportunity to explore the reconstruction of the skull and look into the scientific study of ichthyosaurs. Neither of us are affiliated with any university or museum and this article shows the use of improvisation or educated guess work, facilitated by the internet age of available information; it illustrates 'exploratory' research in the time-honoured tradition of independent local experts.