Articles tagged with Plesiosaurs
A group of elasmosaur fossils has been formally identified as belonging to a new genus, Traskasaura sandrae. This ancient marine reptile, measuring 12 meters long and having heavy, sharp teeth, likely hunted prey from above using its strong swimming capabilities.
A nearly complete Plesiopterys wildi specimen from Germany offers fresh insights into plesiosaur diversity and regional specialization. The discovery highlights the Early Jurassic as a crucial period for plesiosaur evolution and biogeography.
A team of researchers from Lund University analyzed the soft tissue from a 183-million-year-old Jurassic plesiosaur, discovering a mix of smooth and scaly skin. The findings suggest that the long-necked marine reptile used its smooth skin to swim efficiently and its scales for navigating rough seabeds.
Researchers from Tohoku University and partners developed a decentralized control system to analyze plesiosaur locomotion, accounting for motion adjustment. The system successfully recreated coordinated flippers patterns in response to changes in flapping cycle and morphology.
A 246 million-year-old nothosaur vertebra was discovered on New Zealand's South Island, shedding new light on early sea reptiles from the Southern Hemisphere. The find reveals that these marine reptiles originated near the equator and rapidly spread to other regions, challenging long-standing hypotheses about their migration patterns.
A team of palaeontologists has identified the oldest-known mega-predatory pliosaur, Lorrainosaurus, from 170-million-year-old fossils found in north-eastern France. The discovery reveals a new understanding of marine reptile evolution and ecosystem shifts during the Early-to-Middle Jurassic boundary.
Researchers discovered that pachypleurosaur species doubled their neck lengths by adding new vertebrae, reaching lengths of up to five times the length of their trunk. This rapid growth occurred over a period of 5 million years in response to changing marine environments.
Scientists have discovered the first known Jurassic vertebrate fossils in Texas, filling a significant gap in the state's fossil record. The fossils belong to a plesiosaur, an extinct marine reptile that roamed the region about 150 million years ago.
Researchers found that plesiosaurs used a unique swimming motion, twisting their flippers to create lift and propel themselves through the water. This was achieved by using muscles to twist the flippers around their long axis, allowing for efficient swimming without rotating the upper arm and thigh.
Researchers found that big bodies compensate for extra drag caused by extreme morphology, debunking the idea of optimal body shape for low drag. Large necks added drag but were countered by evolving large bodies.
A CT scan of an ancient reptile skull found nearly identical to one from much older elasmosaurids, indicating minimal evolutionary change over 22 million years. The discovery challenges the notion that such species would undergo significant changes in their morphology over extended periods.
A team of palaeontologists has found an abundant collection of plesiosaur fossils in Morella, Castellón, Spain, dating back to the Lower Cretaceous period. The discovery includes a previously unknown species, Leptocleidus, which was believed to inhabit only England, Australia, and South Africa.
The oldest plesiosaur, Rhaeticosaurus mertensi, was a strong swimmer with modified limbs and a short tail. It had a streamlined neck and powerful muscles to propel itself through the water.
A new study reveals that extinct sauropterygians evolved inner ear proportions similar to those of modern aquatic reptiles and mammals. Researchers found similarities between the inner ears of ancient sea monsters like plesiosaurs and modern animals such as crocodiles, whales, and sea turtles.
A 132 million-year-old plesiosaur fossil was discovered in northern Germany and identified as a new species, Lagenanectes richterae. The ancient creature had a long neck, short jaws with specialized teeth, and internal channels for electroreceptors.
Plesiosaurs' long necks may have been a hydrodynamic advantage, allowing them to move slowly and float comfortably. The location of the bend in their necks could also impact drag, leading to more patient hunting styles like modern crocodiles.
A new species of pliosaur, a large predatory marine reptile from the 'Age of Dinosaurs', has been found in Russia. The discovery reveals that pliosaurs colonized a wider range of ecological niches than previously thought.
Researchers used computer simulations to determine that plesiosaurs flapped their front flippers in an underwater flight motion, similar to that of a penguin, to achieve propulsion. The rear flippers were likely used for steering and stability, contradicting previous assumptions about their role.
The museum's new dinosaur hall features a unique 78-million-year-old fossil that shows evidence of live birth in an adult plesiosaur and its developing embryo, resolving a long-standing mystery in the field. The research establishes that plesiosaurs gave birth to live young, rather than laying eggs on land.