Thalassiodracon

In Depth        Thalassiodracon fossils were first identified and described as belonging to a species of Plesiosaurus by Richard Owen in‭ ‬1840.‭ ‬It was not until over one and a half centuries later that the actual description of the fossils belonging to a distinct genus would come to pass.‭ ‬In addition to this several more species … Read more

Westphaliasaurus

In Depth        Because the skull of Westphaliasaurus is so far unknown it is impossible to say for certain what the diet of Westphaliasaurus was.‭ ‬However most of the early Jurassic plesiosaurs were dedicated hunters of fish and possibly also squid,‭ ‬prey animals that would become a staple part of the diets of plesiosaurs throughout the … Read more

Hydrotherosaurus

In Depth        Hydrotherosaurus is comfortably placed within the Elasmosauridae,‭ ‬a group of plesiosaurs noted for having proportionately long necks.‭ ‬Also like these other genera,‭ ‬Hydrotherosaurus had long pointed teeth,‭ ‬but these seem to have projected more to the sides rather than just up and down.‭ ‬This however is quite a common feature seen in piscivorous‭ … Read more

Monquirasaurus

In Depth        Originally described as a species of Kronosaurus,‭ ‬K.‭ ‬boyacensis,‭ ‬was re-described as a distinct genus Monquirasaurus,‭ ‬in‭ ‬2021.‭ ‬Monquirasaurus was a large pliosaur that swam around in the waters around‭ ‬Central America during the early Cretaceous.‭ ‬Monquirasaurus would have easily been among the larger oceanic predators of this time and easily capable of … Read more

Pantosaurus

In Depth        Pantosaurus was originally described as Parasaurus,‭ ‬however this name had already been used to name a genus of Pareiasaur.‭ ‬Pantosaurus is a genus of plesiosaur that lived in North America during the late Jurassic.‭ ‬Pantosaurus has been noted as having a strong similarity to Muraenosaurus which is known from England and France,‭ ‬though … Read more

Peloneustes

In Depth        A relatively small and unassuming pliosaur,‭ ‬Peloneustes shows a dental specialisation where the teeth were not as sharp as other presumably piscivorous‭ (‬fish eating‭) ‬marine reptiles.‭ ‬The blunter teeth would have instead been better suited for cracking the shells of cephalopods like belemnites and ammonites so that Peloneustes could easily eat the soft … Read more

Gallardosaurus

In Depth        The genus name of Gallardosaurus is in honour of Juan Gallardo,‭ ‬the farmer who first discovered the remains in‭ ‬1946.‭ ‬Despite the remains being discovered at this time,‭ ‬they were left unprepared for proper study,‭ ‬even in‭ ‬1996‭ ‬when Gallardosaurus was thought to possibly represent another specimen of Pliosaurus.‭ ‬When the remains were … Read more

Polyptychodon

In Depth        Polyptychodon has been considered to be a dubious genus of pliosaur by some considering that it is based upon only teeth and vertebrae.‭ ‬Despite this two species are recognised,‭ ‬The first and type species,‭ ‬being named in‭ ‬1841‭ ‬and based upon teeth and vertebrae from England and France that are Aptian in Age.‭ … Read more

Stratesaurus

In Depth        Stratesaurus represents a genus of rhomaleosaurid plesiosaur,‭ ‬a type of plesiosaur noted for having a shorter neck and proportionately larger head than other plesiosaurs,‭ ‬though not to the extent of pliosaurs.‭ ‬The discovery of Stratesaurus in Hettangian aged rocks means that individual Stratesaurus were swimming in European waters near the Triassic/Jurassic boundary,‭ ‬which … Read more

Aristonectes

aristonectes

In Depth        While the plesiosaurs are usually seen as predators of fish Aristonectes took‭ ‬the different and much more specialist path of filter feeder.‭ ‬The teeth in the jaws were very short with crowns that were less than one centimetre high.‭ ‬There were a high number of these teeth which were densely packed together in … Read more