Ichthyosaur fossil is outreach star

This summer, one of the WSU geology department's geological treasures, a remarkable fossil Ichthyosaurus, was featured in special exhibits and events at the Cranbrook Institute of Science in another public outreach collaboration between the museum and university.

Ichthyosaurs were dolphin-like marine reptiles that lived in the sea during dinosaur times.

The WSU specimen comes from the Jurassic Poseidon Shale of Germany and is among the best-preserved specimens in the world, with all of the bones articulated and the fins and muscles of the back clearly visible.

This fossil and the rest of the geology department's renowned collections are lovingly cared for by one of Wayne State's greatest human treasures, Curator and Technician David J. Lowrie, who built a special stand for the specimen so it could travel to mineral shows and other venues where it could be appreciated by public audiences.