Protoichthyosaurus applebyi was named by Lomax et al. (2017) [Protoichthyosaurus applebyi is a small- to medium-sized species, probably with a total length of less than 2 m. It is distinguished from P. prostaxalis and all species of Ichthyosaurus by the following unique combination of characters: narrow, crescentic postorbital; dorsoventrally low maxilla that extends beyond external naris; nasal extends at least as far as anterior process of maxilla in lateral view; lacrimal anterior process as long or longer than dorsal process; and humerus with centrally located and somewhat plate-like dorsal process, forming a narrow ridge (similar to Ichthyosaurus larkini). Any one of these characters will distinguish P. applebyi from P. prostaxalis.]. Its type specimen is UNM.G.2017.1, a skeleton (kull and articulated skeleton in left lateral view), and it is a 3D body fossil.