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PLESIOSAUR FOSSILS FOR SALE
What Is A Plesiosaur?
Plesiosaurs were aquatic reptiles. They had small heads, long necks, broad, flattened bodies, short tails, and large flippers or paddles. They are one of the best described groups of fossil animals with a total of 110 known species, many from complete or nearly complete fossils. The largest known is Elasmosaurus at 40 feet (12 meters), and the smallest was Thalassiodracon at just under 6 feet (1.5 meters).
When Did Plesiosaurs Live?
Plesiosaurs first appear in the fossil record near the end of the Triassic Period. Thalassiodracon is the oldest known, from about 203 million years ago. It was about 6 feet long and showed all the characteristics of plesiosaurs.
Plesiosaurs went extinct about the time of the Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction, along with the dinosaurs and most other reptiles.
What Did Plesiosaurs Look Like?
Plesiosaurs were almost comical in their appearance: small head full of sharp, cylindrical teeth; wide, comparatively flat bodies; long necks; short tails; and four large paddles or flippers. It was so odd-looking that when originally found, it was mistaken for a new kid of pterosaur. Even when the first plesiosaur went on display, it had its head mounted on the wrong end! Plesiosaur necks could have large numbers of vertebrae to support their lengths. Albertonectes had 72 vertebrae in its neck.
Reconstruction of Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus by Dmitry Bogdanov. Creative Commons License
What Did Plesiosaurs Eat?
Plesiousaurs likely ate a wide variety of fish, squids, and other mollusks.
How Did Plesiosaur Move?
It is widely held that plesiosaurs were not the fastest swimmers in the sea. They swam by moving their paddles or flippers in much the same way that modern sea turtles. This would have made them efficient and maneuverable, but not particularly speedy.
Did Plesiosaurs Come Out Of The Water?
Due to their long, thin necks and flippers, it is unlikely that plesiosaurs ever left the water. If they did, they would not have been able to travel far. It had long been thought that plesiosaurs left the water to lay eggs in much the same way as modern sea turtles. Recent evidence seems to prove they bore live young, making movement on land unlikely for these marine creatures.
Where Are Plesiosaur Fossils Found?
Plesiosaur fossils have been found worldwide. The first described fossil was found in Kansas, and since then they have been found on every continent. Most commercially available plesiosaur fossils come from Morocco and Kansas.