Spore creature - Plesiosaurus PNG

The second ancient marine reptile to be scientifically described, Plesiosaurus lived in what is now England during the Early Jurassic, around 199,6 - 175,6 million years ago. A complete skeleton was found in southern England in 1824 by the now famous Mary Anning, and the genus was described and named by William Conybeare and Henry De La Beche. Its name means "near lizard" or "near reptile", as a reference to the fact that it looked more like a traditional reptile than the previously discovered Ichthyosaurus. The type species is Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus.

A small to medium-sized plesiosaur, Plesiosaurus grew up to about 3,5 metres in length. The head of this creature is relatively small compared to those of many other plesiosaurs, and the numbers of cervical (or neck) vertebrae vary from 38 - 42.

The creature appears to have been endemic to what is now Lyme Regis in southern England. These rock layers date back to the Early Jurassic, and are rich in fossils.
Plesiosaurus was a predator that hunted belemnites (relatives of modern squid), fish and other small animals. Its U-shaped jaws were lined with long, needle-like teeth, and worked like a fish trap. It propelled itself through the water with its four strong flippers, and may have used its neck like a rudder to steer.

It is unknown whether Plesiosaurus layed eggs on land like a sea turtle, or gave birth to live young in the water.


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