The eyes of ichthyosaurs are large in comparison to the size of the body, suggesting they hunted by sight even in dimly-lit waters or at night. In fact, ichthyosaurs hold the record for eye size: the largest was 264mm in diameter (~10.4 inches), from the species "Temnodontosaurus platyodon". This is the largest eye ever recorded for any vertebrate; the colossal squid eye is larger still. The eyes of ichthyosaurs are protected by sclerotic rings. These are circlar bony plates inside the outer edges of the cornea of the eye. Their function is mechanical support of the eye. They are well preserved in fossil ichthyosaur skulls.