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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.
Plesiosaurs retained their ancestral two pairs of limbs, which had evolved into large flippers. [63] Plesiosaurs were related to the earlier Nothosauridae, [64] that had a more crocodile-like body. The flipper arrangement is unusual for aquatic animals in that probably all four limbs were used to propel the animal through the water by up-and ...
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 ...
Bones of Lusonectes sauvagei: Djupedalia engeri. Avalonnectes arturi. Avalonnectes arturi: Eoplesiosaurus antiquior. Eoplesiosaurus antiquior: Stratesaurus taylori. Stratesaurus taylori: Anningasaura lymense. Skull of Anningasaura lymense: Zarafasaura oceanis. Skull and neck of Zarafasaura oceanis: Westphaliasaurus simonsensii. Pliensbachian ...
The discovery of a well-preserved fossil is helping researchers learn more about an iconic Jurassic-period species. The plesiosaur, considered a successful marine predatory ancient species, may ...
Its shoulder bones were fairly large, indicating a powerful forward stroke for fast swimming. Macroplata also had a relatively long neck, twice the length of the skull, in contrast to pliosaurs. It is known from a nearly complete skeleton NHMUK PV R5488 (formerly BMNH R 5488) from the Blue Lias Formation ( Hettangian ) of Harbury , Warwickshire ...
Gastroliths were generally either disc-shaped or spherical; the former would've come from beaches and the latter from river mouths. All were composed of chert, as is the case with several other species of plesiosaurs. It is hypothesized that chert stones are specifically sought out by plesiosaurs as gastroliths for their hardness and durability ...
Carpenter's 1997 phylogenetic analysis of plesiosaurs challenged the traditional subdivision of plesiosaurs based on neck length. He found that Libonectes and Dolichorhynchops shared characteristics such as an opening on the palate for the vomeronasal organ , the plate-like expansions of the pterygoid bones , and the loss of the pineal foramen ...