In Depth The type genus of the Pachypleurosauria, Pachypleurosaurus would have been a relative of the more famous nothosaurs, yet still be distinct enough to not be classed as a nothosaurine. It should be remembered however that both nothosaurines and pachypleurosaurines are still both classified as nothosauroids due to their physical similarities. The name Pachypleurosaurus … Read more
In Depth Keichousaurus looks like a miniature plesiosaur, and indeed many have looked into the possibility that it may either be a direct ancestor, or representative of an ancestral form that led to the evolution of the giant plesiosaurs. As well as resembling the later plesiosaurs, Keichousaurus may have moved like them too, using their … Read more
In Depth Dactylosaurus was one of the smallest known pachypleurosaurs, a group of marine reptiles with close associations to the nothosaurs, though opinions differ on if they should belong within the Nothosauroidea or be separate to them. Dactylosaurus may have been fed upon by other marine reptiles and large fish such as primitive sharks like … Read more