Tanystropheus
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Tanystropheus is infamous for its massive neck. The neck is far longer than the rest of its body, reaching up to 3 meters long! As the neck is only comprised of 12-13 vertebrae, it's pretty stiff. Its hindlimbs are larger and more solidly constructed, and it has a lot of musculature around its tail. Tanystropheus likely lived on shorelines, extending its neck out like a fishing rod and grabbing small prey items. The heavily-built rear half acts as a stabilizer as the neck moves. Tanystropheus was first discovered in 1852, and remains are known from China and western Europe. It is a primitive archosauromorph and the eponym of the long-necked Tanystropheidae, which are found throughout the northern hemisphere. We have a Tanystropheus in the Triassic section of the aquarium. Of the marine reptiles in that section, she is easily the biggest landlubber of them all. |
Scientific name Location Time Length Diet |