Kimmerosaurus

In Depth        Because nothing is known about Kimmerosaurus from below the neck vertebrae it is impossible to say exactly how the body of Kimmerosaurus looked. However another plesiosaur from the same formation called Colymbosaurus is known only from its post cranial skeleton. Together these two separate genera may in fact represent the same plesiosaur, but … Read more

Eromangasaurus

In Depth        Eromangasaurus was initially known as E. carinognathus, but this was seen as a synonym to the second species of Tuarangisaurus which was also named in 2005. The material became known as Tuarangisaurus australis until further study by Bernjamin P. Kear revealed several key differences. In 2007 Eromangasaurus was resurrected as a distinct genus … Read more

Eoplesiosaurus

In Depth        Eoplesiosaurus was so named for its earlier appearance in the Jurassic that the far more famous Plesiosaurus.‭ ‬Eoplesiosaurus was still small when compared to the plesiosaurs that appeared later in the Jurassic,‭ ‬though it is noted as having a proportionately long neck when compared to some other genera. Further Reading -‭ ‬High Diversity,‭ … Read more

Liopleurodon

liopleurodon 1

In Depth        Liopleurodon was an apex predator of the Jurassic seas. With a skull, and jaws taking up one fifth of the total length of the animal it had a powerful bite. The twenty centimetre teeth buried deep into the jaws further reinforce this idea. Liopleurodon had a typical pliosaur limb arrangement and although not … Read more

Cryptoclidus

cryptoclidus 1

In Depth        From the outset the name Cryptoclidus does not sound all that special, but when you translate it to English to mean ‘hidden collarbone’ it raises a few eyebrows. The genus name is actually in reference to the very small clavicle that is buried within the shoulder girdle that controls the front limbs, or … Read more

Colymbosaurus

In Depth        Another plesiosaur named Kimmerosaurus is known from the Kimmeridge Clay, and interestingly while Colymbosaurus is known only from incomplete post cranial remains, Kimmerosaurus is known only from the skull and a few cervical vertebra. This has led to speculation that the two genera are actually one and the same species. However, only the … Read more

Apatomerus

In Depth        When it comes to naming prehistoric animals,‭ ‬the names can be confusing,‭ ‬but Apatomerus,‭ ‬which means‭ ‘‬deceptive femur‭’ ‬was spot on.‭ ‬Initially thought to a thigh of a crocodile,‭ ‬Williston later declared it to be a pterosaur bone.‭ ‬Later study has now deduced that it is probably not a pterosaur bone and is … Read more