What is unique about plesiosaurs?
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What is unique about plesiosaurs?
Among the most fascinating and unusual reptiles of all time are the aquatic plesiosaurs* of the Mesozoic, a group famous for their two pairs of wing-like paddles as well as for their remarkable, often elongate, necks. But what makes plesiosaurs remarkable is that they had two pairs of such flippers.
Did the plesiosaur have any predators?
Some were macropredators that attacked and ate other plesiosaurs as well as ichthyosaurs, swimming crocodyliforms and turtles. Members of several lineages famously possessed long or ridiculously long necks, the flexibility and function of which have long been the subject of debate.
What was the lifespan of a plesiosaurus?
The order Plesiosauria was comprised of two superfamilies, Plesiosauroidea and Pliosauroidea….Plesiosaur.
| Plesiosaurs | |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | Unknown |
| Average Size | 1.8-20 m |
| Average weight | 75 kg-30 t |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
Why did plesiosaurs have long necks?
By laying immobile on the sea floor or floating at the surface and using their protruding necks to hunt, they may have been able to sneak up on their prey more easily, or simply been more effective at snapping up fast-moving prey.
Why did plesiosaurs go extinct?
During the Late Cretaceous, the elasmosaurids still had many species. All plesiosaurs became extinct as a result of the K-T event at the end of the Cretaceous period, approximately 66 million years ago.
Can plesiosaur breathe underwater?
Probably not. Plesiosaurs are found in shallow seas and even freshwater lakes. They were able to dive down, but they fed near the surface and had no need to go deep. Being reptiles, they had to breathe air, so there would have to be a good reason for them to leave the surface for a long time.
How did the plesiosaur breathe?
Plesiosaurs breathed air, and bore live young; there are indications that they were warm-blooded. Plesiosaurs showed two main morphological types. Some species, with the “plesiosauromorph” build, had (sometimes extremely) long necks and small heads; these were relatively slow and caught small sea animals.
Does the plesiosaur still exist?
All plesiosaurs became extinct as a result of the K-T event at the end of the Cretaceous period, approximately 66 million years ago.