Plesiosaurs were first recognized as a distinct group of fossil animals in the early 1820s, only a few years after ichthyosaurs. Initially they were perceived as being closer in form to reptiles in the “chain of being” than the more fish-like ichthyosaurs were, and so the group’s scientific name ended up reflecting that early interpretation – “plesiosaur” roughly translates to “near to reptiles”.
The first named species of plesiosaur was Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus, based on a near-complete skeleton discovered by Mary Anning that revealed the strange long-necked proportions of these animals for the first time.
1830s-1850s
Early reconstructions of plesiosaurs in the 1830s compared them to “a snake threaded through a turtle”, giving them highly sinuous necks and a turtle-like body. Much like ichthyosaurs they were assumed to be amphibious, using their flippers to crawl up onto the shore like a sea turtle.
The 1850s Crystal Palace plesiosaur statues show a variant of this design with smooth skin textures and fairly flexible reptilian bodies, with powerful shoulders and flipper postures that give them an overall almost seal-like appearance.
1860s-1990s
From the 1860s onwards a more upright S-shaped neck pose became the most common depiction of plesiosaurs. The writhing snake-like necks persisted in some reconstructions of the extremely long-necked elasmosaurids, but the overall design for these animals that caught hold for the next century was an egg-shaped body with oar-like flippers and a swan-like neck – a body plan that would end up so influential in pop culture that it was incorporated into modern lake monster folklore, with the Loch Ness Monster being the most famous example.
During this period plesiosaurs were often portrayed as floating or swimming at the water’s surface, rowing along with their flippers and using their long necks to snatch up prey. They were generally assumed to still haul out turtle-style to lay their eggs on the shore, although it wasn’t clear how the very largest species would have been able to support their own weight.
2020s
Since the 1990s a boom of new plesiosaur species and biomechanical studies have brought a lot of changes to our understanding of these marine reptiles.
Their necks are now considered to have been less flexible, capable only of more gentle curving, and were probably much thicker and more streamlined with the body than previously depicted. Rather than oar-like rowing all four of their flippers were probably used in more of an “underwater flying” vertical motion similar to modern sea turtles – which is pretty fitting, considering that their closest living relatives are now thought to actually be turtles.
We now know Plesiosaurus itself was a fairly small species, around 3.5m long (~11'6"), with a broad body and a short thick tail that probably had a rudder-like fin – usually assumed to be vertically-oriented, but possibly horizontal instead. It lived during the Early Jurassic, about 201-183 million years ago, in the shallow tropical sea that covered what is now southern England, and had a rather small head compared to other plesiosaurs, with its eyes facing upwards and to the sides.
Not a fan of the weird stripy head and neck of the bottom one, there’s so little definition to the head that I thought that was their tail at first. I like the look of the center pic best.
Looking a plesiosaur in the eye over 160 million years after its death. ☠️ Here is the authentic fossilised skull of Godiva the Plesiosaur (@godiva_the_plesiosaur), a plesiosaur from the Oxford Clay of Britain. . Follow @neojurassica to see more #prehistoric wonders! . www.neojurassica.com Dinosaur Specialists Genuine Fossils ⚙️ Display Customisation Free UK Delivery ✈️ International Delivery . #plesiosaur #plesiosaurs #GodivaThePlesiosaur #plesiosaurus #dinosaur #dinosaurs #dinosaurskull #extinct #extinction #prehistoricanimals #nature #naturalhistory #history #archeology #paleontology #palaeontology #geology #science #biology #jurassic #jurassiccoast #jurassicpark #jurassicworld #neojurassica #teeth #skull #bones #fossils #fossil https://www.instagram.com/p/CTKFPgGtzm0/?utm_medium=tumblr
The femur & ilium of a Microcleidus plesiosaur, an extinct Jurassic marine reptile that looked like the Loch Ness Monster. These bones were found along the Yorkshire Coast of Britain and belong to @darwin_the_plesiosaur. The skeleton is near complete but sadly is missing the skull. . Follow @neojurassica to see more #prehistoric wonders! . www.neojurassica.com Dinosaur Specialists Genuine Fossils ⚙️ Display Customisation Free UK Delivery ✈️ International Delivery . #plesiosaur #plesiosaurs #DarwinThePlesiosaur #plesiosaurus #dinosaur #dinosaurs #dinosaurbones #jurassic #jurassicpark #jurassicworld #neojurassica #bones #paleontology #palaeontology #geology #science #naturalhistory #nature #history #archeology #discovery #excavation #fossilprep #fossilhunting #fossils https://www.instagram.com/p/CS_8xe0NJ2E/?utm_medium=tumblr
These jaws date back to the Jurassic! Here we have the fossilised skull of @godiva_the_plesiosaur, found in the Oxford Clay in Britain. Plesiosaurs we’re marine reptile that lived in the ocean when #Dinosaurs ruled the Earth! . Follow @neojurassica to see more #prehistoric wonders! . www.neojurassica.com Dinosaur Specialists Genuine Fossils ⚙️ Display Customisation Free UK Delivery ✈️ International Delivery . #GodivaThePlesiosaur #plesiosaur #plesiosaurus #plesiosaurs #dinosaur #extinct #extinction #jurassic #jurassicpark #jurassicworld #neojurassica #paleontology #palaeontology #geology #science #archeology #nature #naturalhistory #history #awesome #ammonite #animal #prehistoricanimals #fossil #fossils https://www.instagram.com/p/CSezlrYt-P8/?utm_medium=tumblr
The ribs of a plesiosaur dating back to the Jurassic. These fossils were found at Lyme Regis along the Jurassic Coast of Britain and belong to the same skeleton. . Follow @neojurassica to see more #prehistoric wonders! . www.neojurassica.com Dinosaur Specialists Genuine Fossils ⚙️ Display Customisation Free UK Delivery ✈️ International Delivery . #plesiosaur #plesiosaurus #plesiosaurs #dinosaurs #dinosaur #dinosaurbones #fossil #fossils #bones #ribs #nature #naturalhistory #prehistory #history #archeology #paleontology #palaeontology #geology #science #extinct #extinction #prehistoricanimal #natural #animal #jurassic #jurassicpark #jurassiccoast #jurassicworld #neojurassica https://www.instagram.com/p/CSZW0PNtA4x/?utm_medium=tumblr
Plesiosaur vertebrae from the Jurassic Coast of Britain. These fossils are from church cliffs near the historic town of Lyme Regis. . Follow @neojurassica to see more #prehistoric wonders! . www.neojurassica.com Dinosaur Specialists Genuine Fossils ⚙️ Display Customisation Free UK Delivery ✈️ International Delivery . #plesiosaur #plesiosaurus #plesiosaurs #dinosaurs #dinosaur #dino #extinct #fossil #fossils #fossilhunting #naturalhistory #history #nature #archeology #geology #paleontology #palaeontology #science #jurassic #jurassiccoast #jurassicpark #jurassicworld #neojurassica https://www.instagram.com/p/CRozKkEN1tm/?utm_medium=tumblr
A beautiful plesiosaur vertebra from the Jurassic Coast of England. This fossil was found at Church Cliffs near the historic town of Lyme Regis. . Follow @neojurassica to see more #prehistoric wonders! . www.neojurassica.com Dinosaur Specialists Genuine Fossils ⚙️ Display Customisation Free UK Delivery ✈️ International Delivery . #plesiosaur #plesiosaurus #plesiosaurs #vertebra #bone #dinosaur #dinosaurbone #extinct #palaeontology #paleontology #geology #science #naturalhistory #nature #history #archeology #jurassic #jurassicpark #neojurassica #prehistoricanimals #wildlife #naturephotography https://www.instagram.com/p/CRPHqy9tw3h/?utm_medium=tumblr
This lower jaw dates back to the Jurassic era and belongs to: @mike_the_pliosaur. This is only a fragment of the jaw, more has been preserved extending the whole length. Mike would have been an incredible predator, with so many teeth to catch and devour his prey. . Follow @neojurassica to see more #prehistoric wonders! . www.neojurassica.com Dinosaur Specialists Genuine Fossils ⚙️ Display Customisation Free UK Delivery ✈️ International Delivery . #MikeThePliosaur #pliosaur #plesiosaur #plesiosaurs #fossils #fossil #extinct #extinction #fossilhunting #yorkshirefossils #dinosaur #dinosaurs #dinosaurbone #teeth #predator #nature #naturalhistory #history #archeology #geology #paleontology #palaeontology #paleobiology #science #jurassic #jurassicpark #jurassicworld #neojurassica #prehistory https://www.instagram.com/p/CQhKpRitQsf/?utm_medium=tumblr
Here we have a fossil that is over 175,000,000 years old, dating back to the Jurassic era. This fossil is a vertebrae belonging to a Pliosaur (@mike_the_pliosaur). The bone was found along the Yorkshire Coast of Britain along with the rest of the skeleton. . Follow @neojurassica to see more #prehistoric wonders! . www.neojurassica.com Dinosaur Specialists Genuine Fossils ⚙️ Display Customisation Free UK Delivery ✈️ International Delivery . #pliosaur #plesiosaur #plesiosaurs #MikeThePliosaur #dinosaur #dinosaurs #dinosaurbones #extinct #nature #natural #naturalhistory #history #archaeology #palaeontology #paleontology #geology #science #stem #bone #jurassic #jurassicpark #jurassicworld #neojurassica #fossil #fossils #fossilhunting #fossilfriday #prehistory https://www.instagram.com/p/CPqB8WptFHl/?utm_medium=tumblr
Dating back to the Jurassic era, this fossil is a section of the lower jaw of Mike The Pliosaur. Mike was a hauffiosaurus, and his fossilised skeleton was found along the Yorkshire Coast of England. . Follow @neojurassica to see more #prehistoric wonders! . www.neojurassica.com Dinosaur Specialists Genuine Fossils ⚙️ Display Customisation Free UK Delivery ✈️ International Delivery . #MikeThePliosaur #pliosaur #plesiosaur #hauffiosaur #plesiosaurs #dinosaurs #dinosaur #dinosaurbones #extinct #fossil #fossils #fossilfriday #jurassic #jurassicpark #jurassicworld #neojurassica #palaeontology #paleontology #geology #science #antique #artifact #archaeology #history #naturalhistory #nature #prehistoricanimals #museum #prehistory https://www.instagram.com/p/CPTj9l8N512/?utm_medium=tumblr
Two Femurs One is from our plesiosaur from Lyme Regis, one is from our Pliosaur (@mike_the_pliosaur). Can you guess which is which? . Follow @neojurassica to see more #prehistoric wonders! . www.neojurassica.com Dinosaur Specialists Genuine Fossils ⚙️ Display Customisation Free UK Delivery ✈️ International Delivery . #MikeThePliosaur #pliosaur #plesiosaur #plesiosaurus #plesiosaurs #fossils #fossil #fossilhunting #fossilfriday #paleontology #palaeontology #geology #science #bones #dinosaurbones #dinosaurs #dino #extinct #evolution #nature #naturalhistory #jurassic #jurassicpark #jurassicworld #neojurassica #walkingwithdinosaurs #archaeology #tropical #prehistoricanimals https://www.instagram.com/p/CPGQdZLN7jc/?utm_medium=tumblr
Dakosaurus looks like a type of dinosaur or plesiosaur, but it is actually one of many prehistoric crocodiles that developed fins. They reached lengths of up to 15 feet, and had an incredibly powerful bite.
We’re not out of the ocean quite yet. Marine fauna are my favorite, so we’re going to cover another example today, and a quite different one at that. Say hello to Cryptoclidus!
The Jurassic began not long after Pangea had begun to break up. Because of the way the continents separated, water currents were able to flow much more uniformly across the earth, which meant a much warmer planet. There isn’t even any evidence for ice caps at the poles, although that isn’t too unusual for prehistoric earth.
This all provides some context for what Cryptoclidus’ Europe looked like. Europe was pretty much unrecognizable during the Jurassic. It was a collection of small-to-midsized islands in a shallow part of the Tethys Sea. It was, like the rest of the world, warmer than it is today. Cryptoclidus lived in these shallow seas, paddling gracefully near the island coasts. It may have even dragged itself onto beaches, but there’s a lot of debate surrounding that. Especially given evidence that plesiosaurs, like other marine reptiles, might have given live birth. If they’re able to give birth, what’s the point of leaving the safety of the water?
Cryptocliduswas a plesiosaur, but one with a stockier body than lots of its relatives. It had a short neck and a thick, short tail. Its jaws were packed with skinny, pointed teeth, perfect for catching soft-bodied cephalopods and small fish. They probably also swallowed rocks for ballast, like their cousins have been found to do.
And, yeah, I’m going to talk about the elephant in the room a little bit. Cryptoclidus did live alongside, and was probably eaten by, its larger cousin Liopleurodon.Liopleurodon is an animal of many misconceptions, but that’s a paleoart for another day.
But back to something a little more pertinent, something that was figured out pretty recently, and something Ihad never considered, is plesiosaur locomotion. How did they swim? The only living animal with four flippers is the sea turtle, and they only paddle their front flippers to swim. There were two main schools of thought. The first was that they paddled all four flippers at the same time. The second said that, no, they alternated, raising their hind flippers when their front flippers were lowered.
So, how did they solve this problem? The same way you solve your problems, obviously: with a plesiosaur robot. They tested a variety of different flipper movements, and found the most efficient was actually in the middle somewhere. They would pump their front flippers, with their hind flippers following soon after. It’s things like this that make this science my passion. It’s really fascinating how many different methods paleontologists use to better understand long-gone animals, especially when all we have to go off are their skeletons, or even just their imprints in rocks. It’s so symbolic of the human ability to solve problems.
Plus, prehistoric animals are really fucking cool.
That about does it for today’s animal. I chose Cryptoclidus because someone very near-and-dear to me suggested I talk about marine reptiles. And of course, Cryptoclidusis featured as the representative of Plesiosaura in Walking with Dinosaurs. Like I’ve said on this blog before, I grew up with the series, and I love it to death. I was really tempted to give Cryptoclidus the brown speckled coloring it has in Walking with. Although, I wasn’t very good at resisting, since I took some cues from their coloration of Opthalmosaurus. Cruel Sea is my favorite episode of the series, so don’t be surprised if I end up drawing every animal from it. I’ve already got myself thinking about Liopleurodon…
