Plesiosaurus
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Plesiosaurus was the first named plesiosaur, discovered by fossil hunter Mary Anning in 1823. Anning had made many major discoveries of Jurassic reptile fossils in England. The species was named by William Conybeare in 1824, without crediting Anning. The length and completeness of its neck was so offputting, it was initially thought to have been hoaxed. Plesiosaurs are well-known for their long necks. Despite how they may be portrayed, these necks are quite stiff. While moderately long in Plesiosaurus, some later plesiosaurs such as Styxosaurus took neck growth to extreme lengths. Plesiosaurus has flippers and moves through the water by "flying underwater", similar to the way sea turtles and penguins move. Its needle-like teeth help it get a good grip on slippery prey items such as fish. Our Plesiosaurus live in the Jurassic section of the Aquarium, sharing a tank with our Ichthyosaurus. Although not speed demons, they have no shortage of grace. |
Scientific name Location Time Length Diet |