ancientmarinereptiles

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Opallionectes andamookaensis

Photo by: Steve, https://www.deviantart.com/lizardman22/art/Opallionectes-andamookaensis-583247675

Name: Opallionectes andamookaensis

Name Meaning: ‬Opal swimmer

First Described: 2006

Described By: Kear

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria,‭ Plesiosauroidea

Opallionectes was a plesiosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous of what is now known as Australia. Data suggests that this plesiosaur may have dwelled in very cold waters. Opallionectes may have had blubber as an adaptation for this freezing type of environment. Paleontologists actually found Opallionectes in an opal mine down in South Australia.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opallionectes

#Opallionectes #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Nichollssaura borealis

Art by: Arthur Weasley, CC BY 3.0

Name: Nichollssaura borealis

Name Meaning: ‬Nicholls lizard

First Described: 2009

Described By: Druckenmiller and Russell

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria,‭ Leptocleididae

This leptocleidid plesiosaur could be found lurking within the depths of the Boreal Sea during the Early Cretaceous. Nichollssaura was found in Canada, specifically near Alberta. The specimen was found well intact with the exception of the left forelimb and scapula being missing; it’s fairly complete. This plesiosaur was originally called Nichollsia, but that name was already taken by an isopod, thus Nichollssaura was born.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nichollssaura

#Nichollssaura #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Nakonanectes bradti

Art by: Drex, https://www.deviantart.com/spinozillarex/art/nakonanectes-761449910

Name: Nakonanectes bradti

Name Meaning: Nakona swimmer

First Described: 2017

Described By: Serratos et al.,

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae

Nakonanectes was an elasmosaurid that had a pretty short neck, but it’s actually one of the earlier known elasmosaurs from North America. Nakonanectes was discovered in Montana and it swam the waters of the Western Interior Seaway. We have a pretty well preserved skull, back vertebrae, partial limbs, ribs, and unsurprisingly gastroliths were also recovered. It was estimated to have been 17-18 feet (5.1 to 5.6 meters) in length. For an elasmosaurid, Nakonanectes was on the smaller side.

#Nakonanectes #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Muiscasaurus catheti

Art by: Daniel Dick

Name: Muiscasaurus catheti

Name Meaning: Muisca lizard

First Described: 2015

Described By: Maxwell et al.,

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Ichthyosauria,‭ ‬‬Ophthalmosauridae

We have another marine reptile from the Paja Formation in Colombia. Muiscasaurus was a Late Cretaceous ophthalmosaurid, we have uncovered part of its skull, some ribs, and vertebrae. Muiscasaurus had four nostrils, two openings on each side of its snout. Muiscasaurus probably consumed prey that were soft and small.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muiscasaurus

#Muiscasaurus #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #ichthyopterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Morturneria seymourensis

Art by: Joschua Knüppe

Name: Morturneria seymourensis

Name Meaning: In honor of Mort D. Turner and the original proposed name of Turneria

First Described: 1994

Described By: Chatterjee and Creisler

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae

Morturneria lived during the Late Cretaceous, and was discovered in Antarctica. What’s really fascinating is that Morturneria was a filter feeding plesiosaur, using its mouth as a sieve to indulge in marine invertebrates. The filter feeding strategy may have evolved in order to avoid direct competition with its other marine reptiles. Morturneria was once thought to be a juvenile Aristonectes, but paleontologists saw differences in non-ontological characteristics in Morturneria, thus distinguished it from Aristonectes. Fun fact, Morturneria was originally named Turneria, but the name was already taken by a genus of ant.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morturneria

#Morturneria #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Megalneusaurus rex

Art by: Dmitry Bogdanov, Public Domain

Name: ‭Megalneusaurus rex

Name Meaning: Great swimming lizard king

First Described: 1895

Described By: Knight

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria, Pliosauroidea

Megalneusaurus swam the Sundance Sea during the Late Jurassic. We have its vertebrae, ribs, and portions of the front flipper. It is hypothesized that Megalneusaurus could have grown to a size similar to that of Liopleurodon, see my previous post on that. Megalneusaurus probably ate other marine reptiles or whatever it could take down.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalneusaurus

#Megalneusaurus #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

‭Megacephalosaurus eulerti

Art by: James Kuether, https://www.deviantart.com/paleoguy/art/Megacephalosaurus-680915036

Name: ‭Megacephalosaurus eulerti

Name Meaning: Large head lizard

First Described: 2013

Described By: Schumacher et al.,

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria, Pliosauridae

Megacephalosaurus was a Late Cretaceous pliosaur. It was discovered in the Carlile Shale Formation in Kansas. Megacephalosaurus actually represents one of the last members of the pliosauridae family.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megacephalosaurus

#Megacephalosaurus #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Mauriciosaurus fernandezi

Art by: Nobu Tamura, CC BY-SA 4.0

Name: ‭Mauriciosaurus fernandezi

Name Meaning: Mauricio’s reptile

First Described: 2017

Described By: Frey et al.,

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria, Polycotylidae

Mauriciosaurus was a polycotylid plesiosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous of what is now known as Mexico. We have a pretty well preserved juvenile specimen that was found in an area with lack of oxygen. The lack of oxygen is actually what helped preserve the soft tissues found within this plesiosaur. Preservation of soft tissues helped paleontologists see evidence of fat or blubber on Mauriciosaurus. So, to all paleoartists out there, please draw your plesiosaurs thicker than ever! This juvenile specimen was estimated to have been 6 feet (1.9 meters) in length.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauriciosaurus

#Mauriciosaurus #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

‭Marmornectes candrewi

Figure by: Ketchum and Benson, 2011

Name: ‭Marmornectes candrewi

Name Meaning: Marble swimmer

First Described: 2011

Described By: Ketchum and Benson

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria, Pliosauridae

We have the skull and articulated skeleton of Marmornectes, a pliosaur from the Middle Jurassic. Paleontologists unearthed the remains from the UK’s Oxford Clay Formation. Even though Marmornectes is very similar to Peloneustes, another pliosaur that I have previously covered, recent studies have found Marmornectes to be basal to Peloneustes.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmornectes

#Marmornectes #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Manemergus anguirostris

Photo by: Ghedoghedo, CC BY-SA 4.0

Name: ‭Manemergus anguirostris

Name Meaning: Early/dawn diver

First Described: 2005

Described By: Buchy et al.,

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria, Polycotylidae

We have another polycotylid found from Africa, just like ‭Thililua. Anyways, Manemergus was also discovered in the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Paleontologists recovered its skull, left femur, some of its phalanges, and some vertebrae.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manemergus

#Manemergus #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Malawania anachronus

Art by: Ghedoghedo, CC BY-SA 3.0

Name: Malawania anachronus

Name Meaning: Swimmer out of time

First Described: 2013

Described By: Fischer et al.,

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Ichthyosauria,‭ ‬Ichthyosauridae

Malawania is interesting, it’s a basal thunnosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous of what is now known as Iraq. It was thought that basal thunnosaur ichthyosaurs were extinct by the Early Jurassic. The species name reflects this fascinating discovery as if Malawania was anachronistic in a way.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malawania

#Malawania #palaeoblr #Paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #ichthyopterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Makhaira rossica

Art by: Joschua Knüppe, https://www.deviantart.com/hyrotrioskjan/art/Makhaira-rossica-586349435

Name: Makhaira rossica

Name Meaning: ‬Blade (Russian blade)

First Described: 2015

Described By: Fischer et al.,

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria,‭ ‬Pliosauridae

Makhaira wasn’t too big for a pliosaur, it was estimated to have been 16 feet (5 meters) in length. Even though it wasn’t very large for its size, Makhaira probably still hunted big prey. It’s distinctive teeth infer that it may have been a generalist and consumed whatever it could take down. This pliosaurid was discovered in Russia near the Volga River and dates all the way back to the Early Cretaceous.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makhaira_rossica

#Makhaira #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Maiaspondylus lindoei

By: Maxwell and Caldwell, 2006

Name: Maiaspondylus lindoei

Name Meaning: Caring mother vertebra

First Described: 2006

Described By: Maxwell and Caldwell

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Ichthyosauria,‭ ‬‬Ophthalmosauridae,‭ ‬Platypterygiinae

Maiaspondylus was once thought to be Platypterygius, but that’s not the case because a recent study has shown that the two genera are indeed separate. Maiaspondylus swam the Early Cretaceous seas of what is now known as the Northwest Territories of Canada. One specimen was discovered with embryos inside of it. This is once again another example that supports that ichthyosaurs gave birth to live young.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiaspondylus

#Maiaspondylus #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #Not a dinosaur #ichthyopterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Macgowania janiceps

Art by: Amber, https://www.deviantart.com/transpaleoartist/art/You-were-an-Isle-unto-Thyself-796315508

Name: Macgowania janiceps

First Described: 1999

Described By: Motani

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Ichthyosauria,‭ ‬Parvipelvia

Paleontologists recovered a fairly complete skull and partial skeletal remains of Macgowania from Canada’s Pardonet Formation. This ichthyosaur was thought to be just another species of Ichthyosaurus, but Motani reexamined the holotype specimen and determined it to be a distinct genus on its own. Macgowania existed during the Late Triassic.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macgowania

#Macgowania #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #ichthyopterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Luskhan itilensis

Art by: Andrey Atuchin, https://www.deviantart.com/olorotitan/art/Luskhan-itilensis-682594743

Name: Luskhan itilensis

Name Meaning: ‬Water spirit chief

First Described: 2017

Described By: Fischer et al.,

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria,‭ ‬Pliosauridae, Thalassophonea

Luskhan was discovered in Russia and it lived during the Early Cretaceous. It was an unique pliosaur, as it had characteristics seen in both basal and advanced pliosaurs. Its narrow and slender snout along with it’s tiny teeth infer that Luskhan most likely hunted primarily fish and other soft prey items. We most likely would not see Luskhan trying to take down big prey.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luskhan

#Luskhan #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Libonectes morgani

Art by: Joschua Knüppe

Name: Libonectes morgani

Name Meaning: ‬Southwest swimmer

First Described: 1997

Described By: Carpenter

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae‭

Libonectes was an elasmosaurid from the Late Cretaceous. This plesiosaur was discovered in Texas’ Britton Formation and also Morocco’s Akrabou Formation. The skull of the type specimen is actually extremely well preserved. In addition, not too surprising, gastroliths were also found with the elasmosaurid. As you know by now, many plesiosaurs have been discovered fossilized with gastrolith contents. Libonectes differ from Thalassomedon due to the former having much higher neural spines in its 16.6 feet (5.06 meters) long neck. Libonectes was once thought to be a species of Elasmosaurus, but was later realized to be a new and separate genus.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libonectes

#Libonectes #palaeoblr #paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia

[ancientmarinereptiles]

Leptocleidus capensis, L. clemai, L. superstes

Art by: Mark Witton

Name: Leptocleidus capensis, L. clemai, L. superstes

Name Meaning: ‬Slender clavicle

First Described: 1992

Described By: Andrews

Classification: Chordata, Tetrapoda, Reptilia, ‬Sauropterygia,‭ ‬Plesiosauria,‭ Leptocleididae

Leptocleidus was an Early Cretaceous pliosaurid plesiosaur, which gives its name to the controversial family called Leptocleididae because of the similarities seen in both pliosaurs and plesiosaurs. What’s really fascinating about Leptocleidus was that it dwelled in fresh water and brackish (water with some salinity, but not enough salinity to officially call it seawater) environments. It is currently hypothesized that Leptocleidus and even other members in the Leptocleididae family that lived in freshwater ecosystems such as Vectocleidus and Hastanectes, may have used fresh water systems as a way to avoid predation and even competition with other much larger pliosaurs and plesiosaurs.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptocleidus

#Leptocleidus #palaeoblr #Paleontology #palaeontology #prehistoric #Mesozoic #ancient marine reptiles #Not a dinosaur #sauropterygia