Pliosaurs were a group of marine Mesozoic reptiles characterized as having a large head (up to 3 m long) and a short neck. They also had four large flippers for swimming. Their entire bodies were up to 15 m (49 feet) long. Pliosaurs range in geologic time from the Early Jurassic to mid Cretaceous.
They lived primarily in shallow ocean waters of Europe and South America, where they must have terrorized their prey (e.g., ammonites, fish, etc.).
They were apex predators (i.e., at the top of the food chain). They ate whatever they found. Their powerful jaws contained many sharp, conical teeth.
Pliosaurs ate fish, cephalopods (squids, ammonites, and belemnites), and most likely fish.
Some well known pliosaurs include Liopleurodon, Kronosaurus, and Pliosaurus. The word Pliosaurus means “more lizard.”
Figure 1. Pliosaurus: a drawing (by R.L. Squires) of Pliosaurus.
Figure 2. Image included for comparison to their pliosaur Mesozoic relatives: the outline of the body of a plesiosaur, characterized by a long neck and a short head.
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