Izazi ze-paleontologists ziye zahlola izinsalela ezimbalwa zama-ichthyosaur amathathu esayensi (ama-dinosaurs olwandle), okungenzeka ukuthi ayemakhulu cishe kuzo zonke izilwane ezake zaba khona kule planethi. Okutholakele kwenziwa e-Swiss Alps phakathi kuka-1976 no-1990 - kodwa kusanda kuhlolwa. Lokhu kufaka phakathi izinyo le-ichthyosaur elikhulu kunawo wonke ake atholakala. Iwubukhulu obuphindwe kabili bezinyo le-ichthyosaur eliphula irekhodi, isilwane esihuquzelayo sangaphambili esingamamitha angu-15 ubude. Ngakho-ke, kucatshangwa ukuthi i-ichthyosaur abayifundayo njengamanje nayo yayinkulu ngokuphindwe kabili. Ezinye izinsalela zamathambo ezingaphelele zihlanganisa i-ichthyosaur vertebra enkulu kunazo zonke ezake zatholwa eYurophu. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-200 edlule, izingqimba zamatshe lapho kwatholakala khona izinsalela zamboza ulwandle. Kodwa kanye nokwakhiwa kwe-Alps eminyakeni engaba yizigidi ezingu-35 edlule, bazithola besendaweni engamamitha angu-2800. Abahloli bamazwe baseSwitzerland abangesabi kwadingeka banqamule amawa asezintabeni aneqhwa futhi bathwale emahlombe izinsalela zezilo zasolwandle zasendulo ukuze bazichaze emphakathini wesayensi. Kodwa ukutholwa okunjalo okuyingqayizivele kwakuwufanele umzamo.
Ama-Ichthyosaur, izilwane ezihuquzelayo ezingamathani angama-80, ahlala ePantalasa, ulwandle oluzungeza i-super-continent yePangea ngasekupheleni kweTriassic, cishe eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingama-205 edlule. Aphinde “abhampa” emanzini angashoni oLwandle iTethys aye engxenyeni esempumalanga yePangea, njengoba kufakazelwa yizinto ezintsha ezitholakele. Ngokufana nokuma kwemikhomo yesimanje, ama-ichthyosaur ayenemizimba emide kanye namaphiko omsila aqondile. Lezi zinhlobo ezinkulu zitholakala ngobuningi obukhulu eNyakatho Melika. Kutholwe izinto eziningi eziqhingini zase-Himalaya naseNingizimu Pacific. Ngalo mqondo, ukutholakala kwemidondoshiya emisha eSwitzerland kuyingqayizivele futhi kwandisa kakhulu uhla olujwayelekile lwalezi zilo zasolwandle zasendulo. Kuncane kakhulu okwaziwayo ngalezi ziqhwaga kangangokuthi zicishe zifane nezipoki ku-paleontology. Naphezu kobukhulu bezinsalela zazo, izazi ze-paleontology zisenolwazi oluncane kakhulu ngalezi zilwane ezihuquzelayo zasendulo. Ngenxa yokusha okutholakele, ososayensi banethemba lokwenezela olwazini lwabo lwama-ichthyosaur amakhulu, kanye nokuthola izinsalela ezigciniwe ezengeziwe.
