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Plesiosaurus (Greek: πλησίος (plesios), near to + σαῦρος (sauros), lizard) is a genus of extinct, large marine sauropterygian reptile that lived during the Early Jurassic. It is known by nearly complete skeletons from the Lias of England.
The tail vertebrae possessed chevron bones. The dorsal vertebrae of plesiosaurs are easily recognisable by two large foramina subcentralia, paired vascular openings at the underside. [65] The skull of plesiosaurs showed the "euryapsid" condition, lacking the lower temporal fenestrae, the openings at the lower rear sides. The upper temporal ...
Elasmosaurus differed from all other plesiosaurs by having 72 neck vertebrae; more may have been present but were later lost to erosion or after excavation. Only Albertonectes had more neck vertebrae, 76, and the two are the only plesiosaurs with a count higher than 70; more than 60 vertebrae is very derived (or "advanced") for plesiosaurs. [14 ...
Gastroliths and bones (right) of an undetermined plesiosaur from Kansas. The flexion ranges of elasmosaurids necks would have allowed them to employ a number of hunting methods including "benthic grazing", which would have involved swimming close to the bottom and using the head and neck to dig for prey on the sea floor.
All plesiosaurs, including Thalassiodracon were faunivorous, but widely ranged in their diets. Animals such as ammonites, cephalopods, and other invertebrates were often found in plesiosaur remains. [20] With the bones of dinosaurs and pterosaurs being found in plesiosaur remains, these animals are also possibilities for their diets. [20]
Everhart resumed the study of the partially digested plesiosaur skull bones, FHSM VP-13966. He sought the expertise of Ken Carpenter due to his relevant 1996 paper on short-necked plesiosaurs. Carpenter identified the bones as probable Dolichorhynchops remains. [31] Noe published another study of Pachycostasaurus. He changed his mind regarding ...
José P. O’Gorman, Leonardo Salgado, Eduardo B. Olivero and Sergio A. Marenssi (2015). "Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (lower Maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Plesiosaurs are common in the Peterborough Member, and besides pliosaurids, are represented by cryptoclidids, including Cryptoclidus, Muraenosaurus, Tricleidus, and Picrocleidus. [6]: viii [2] They were smaller plesiosaurs with thin teeth and long necks, [52] and, unlike pliosaurids such as Peloneustes, would have mainly eaten small animals. [52]