Pliosaur: ancient marine reptile
Fossils of a 170-million-year-old ancient marine reptile from Age of Dinosaurs have been identified as oldest-known megapredatory Pliosaur.
Pliosaurs were a type of short-necked plesiosaur. They were marine reptiles that lived between 220 and 70 million years ago. They were mostly found in the prehistoric seas that covered modern-day Europe.
Pliosaurs were a group of ocean-dwelling reptiles with short necks and massive skulls.
Pliosaurs were characterized by:
- Massive heads
- Short necks
- Streamlined tear-shaped bodies
- Two sets of powerful paddles
Pliosaurs measured over 10 meters in length and could weigh up to several dozen tons. They were built for speed compared to their long-necked cousins. They could swim through the water at speeds up to 10 km/hr.
Pliosaurs ate fish, cephalopods, and marine reptiles.
where was pliosaurs found?
Pliosaurs have been found as fossils from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. They are best known for the subclade Thalassophonea, which contained crocodile-like short-necked forms with large heads and massive toothed jaws
They appeared over 200 million years ago, but remained minor components of marine ecosystems until suddenly developing into enormous apex predators.
which was oldest pliosaur body ?
Lorrainosaurus is the oldest large-bodied pliosaur represented by an associated skeleton.