In Depth Brachauchenius was once regarded as one of the largest pliosaurs, and this was down to the addition of a skull measuring 170 centimetres in length to the genus. However, in 2013 this skull was used to establish a new genus called Megacephalosaurus. This in turn has led to a size revision for Brachauchenius, … Read more
In Depth Cymatosaurus is usually seen to be a member of the Pistosauridea. This group of marine reptiles were the forerunners of the plesiosaurs which seem to have evolved from later more advanced pistosauroid forms. Other members of this group include Augustasaurus and Pistosaurus, but Cymatosaurus probably also shared the ocean with placodonts like Placodus, … Read more
In Depth Eardasaurus is a genus of pliosaur known to have lived around European waters during the Middle Jurassic. The skull of Eardasaurus displays some proportional features that are similar to the famous Liopleurodon, including a diastema where the premaxilla meets the maxilla. However the skull of Eardasaurus suggests that as many as thirty-four to … Read more
In Depth Parahenodus is a genus of placodont that lived in European waters during the late Triassic. The placodonts were marine reptiles that hunted for shellfish. The holotype skull of Parahenodus is very similar to the Henodus genus, hence the name Parahenodus which means ‘near Henodus’. Like Henodus, Parahenodus would be expected to have had … Read more
In Depth Cardiocorax is a genus of elasmosaurid plesiosaur that lived during the latest stage of the Cretaceous. The fenestra (opening) between the coracoid bones is heart-shaped, and is the inspiration for the name which means ‘heart coracoid’. Further Reading - A new elasmosaurid from the early Maastrichtian of Angola and the implications of girdle … Read more
In Depth With two body shells Psephoderma was very similar to Cyamodus although it was much larger. It is also these shells, or rather the pebbly appearance of them that was the inspiration of the name that means ‘pebbly skin’. Psephoderma was one of the larger placodonts, particularly of the shelled variety. This may be … Read more
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
In Depth Placodus is one of the most often represented reptiles of the placodont group, and the most common of the ‘unarmoured’ variety that seemed to be similar to marine iguanas. Unlike the algae eating marine iguana however, Placodus was a dedicated durophagous shellfish eater. In its search for food it used specialised forward pointing … Read more
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
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