Size #diversity in Mesozoic aquatic #reptiles:

Body mass estimates in #plesiosaurs range from 79 kg to 12,824 kg.

👇

he workflow for establishing a hybrid framework to estimate body mass in plesiosaurs. (A) Acquire data from fossil specimens (illustrated here using the modified image of Sachicasaurus vitae, Paramo-Fonseca, Benavides-Cabra & Gutierrez, 2018, CC BY 4.0). (B) Create lateral-view silhouettes of skeletal elements. (C) Estimate the dimensions of missing fossil elements through regression formulae and/or comparisons with closely related taxa. (D) Reconstruct the main body axis, including the dimensions and shape of the skull and vertebral column. (E) Reconstruct the ribcage in both lateral view and transverse cross-sections jointly, then restore the soft-tissue outlines of the main body axis and the flippers. (F) Estimate the body mass using the cross-sectional method (Zhao, 2024). (G) Establish body mass equations from the mass estimates of multiple species. Elements in this figure are not to scale. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21146/fig-1

Silhouettes of representative plesiosaur models from different clades, showing the reconstructed body outlines and transverse cross-sections. All models are scaled to the same length. (A) Thalassomedon haningtoni. (B) Aristonectes quiriquinensis. (C) Sachicasaurus vitae. (D) Liopleurodon ferox (E) Abyssosaurus nataliae. (F) Cryptoclidus eurymerus. (G) Martinectes bonneri. (H) Polycotylus latipinnis. (I) Meyerasaurus victor. (J) Macroplata tenuiceps. (K) Seeleyosaurus guilelmiimperatoris. (L) Microcleidus tournemirensis. (M) Nichollssaura borealis. (N) Brancasaurus brancai. (O) Plesiopterys wildi. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21146/fig-4

Representative plesiosaur reconstructions created in this study. (A) Kronosaurus queenslandicus. (B) Albertonectes vanderveldei. (C) Aristonectes quiriquinensis. (D) Plesiopterys wildi. (E) Brancasaurus brancai. (F) Liopleurodon ferox. (G) Seeleyosaurus guilelmiimperatoris. (H) Meyerasaurus victor. (I) Cryptoclidus eurymerus. (J) Mauriciosaurus fernandezi. All limbs are vertically oriented for display. The dorsal ribs in these skeletal reconstructions have been aesthetically refined and thus differ from the initial versions used to infer ribcage cross-sections. Scale bar equals 1 m. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21146/fig-5

Scatter plot and regression models of the pruned skull-neck dataset. The red curve, green dashed line, and the blue dotted line represent the nonlinear regression model based on a log–logistic (LL) function, the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model, and the Phylogenetic Generalized Least Squares (PGLS) model, respectively. Lower values of sample-size corrected Akaike Information Criterion (AICc) and mean per cent prediction error (∣%PE∣) represent better model performance. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21146/fig-8

#Body reconstruction and #size estimation of #plesiosaurs by Ruizhe Jackevan Zhao: peerj.com/articles/21146 in @peerj.bsky.social relevant to #EvolutionaryStudies #MathematicalBiology #Paleontology #Zoology

image depicts a group of #plesiosaurs, which were marine reptiles that lived during the #MesozoicEra.

image depicts a group of #plesiosaurs, which were marine reptiles that lived during the #MesozoicEra.

This week, we are starting our first #PaleoArt Highlight! 🎨

This tattoo was inspired by the elasmosaurid plesiosaur Nakonanectes 🐊

🌊 #Plesiosaurs lived during the Late #Cretaceous in the Western Interior Seaway

✨This gorgeous tattoo was brought to life by Tamara Pez @Pez.Tattooer

The Lyme Regis Fossil Festival programme is online: fossilfestival.com

I will be talking at 13:30 on Sunday June 14 and again with Dr @deanrlomax.bsky.social. See you there!

#Dinosaurs #Pterosaurs #Ichthyosaurs #Plesiosaurs #Pliosaurs #Mosasaurs #LymeRegis #LymeRegisFossilFestival #FossilFriday

Colored-pencil drawings of seven fictional plesiosaurs in lateral view, on a piece of white paper. The tiny, long-headed Grakogen and small Watigoga are at the top, the small pliosaur-shaped Zhakogen and the small-ish Daikogen are on the right, the medium-sized chonky Zanitel and slender Shodima are on the left, and the gigantic deep-sea-hunting Kadanuk is at the bottom of the page. A relatively small horizontal 2-meter scale bar is in the top left corner.

A compilation of the currently-canon Plesiosaurs in the known-world region of #Kaimere, roughly to scale. They are reimagined here with a little more streamlined chonkiness around the neck and body. All are creations of @talesofkaimere.bsky.social. #specevo #plesiosaurs

Cryptocleidus skeleton

The database includes detailed info on taxonomy, systematic position, geological age, and distribution. I’ve also added context on major clades. You’ll notice a “Links” section for each entry. 2/3
#Palaeontology #Plesiosaur #plesiosaurs

A few more crops from "The Twisted Feast," commissioned by The Etches Collection. It features a bunch of fossil species from the museum & the Late Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay.

#SciArt #PaleoArt #MarineReptiles #Jurassic #JurassicWorld #Crocodiles #Plesiosaurs #Dakosaurus #Alt4Me

Here are some crops from "The Twisted Feast," commissioned by The Etches Collection. It features a bunch of fossil species from the museum & the Late Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay.

#SciArt #PaleoArt #MarineReptiles #Jurassic #JurassicWorld #Crocodiles #Plesiosaurs #Dakosaurus #Alt4Me

NEW ARTWORK for #FossilFriday
Here's "The Twisted Feast," commissioned by The Etches Collection. It features a bunch of fossil species from the museum and the Late Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay.

#SciArt #SciComm #PaleoArt #MarineReptiles #JurassicWorld #Ichthyosaurs #Pterosaurs #Crocodiles #Plesiosaurs

Publications – Sachs Vertebrate Palaeontology Research Palaeontological publications of Sven Sachs

I’m happy to share my renewed publications site. It features all my publications, most on plesiosaurs and other marine reptiles, with pdf's or additional information for each. I hope you find it informative and useful.

sachspal.de/palaeontolog...

#palaeontology #paleontology #plesiosaurs #research

My first book, "Die Welt der Plesiosaurier," is now officially out!

It has nearly 300 pages and features a state-of-the-art overview of plesiosaurs. The book is also filled with numerous photographs and wonderful illustrations by @joschuaknuppe.bsky.social. 1/3
#book #fossils #plesiosaurs #nature

Walk amid #dinosaurs and more with me at the Sternberg #Museum of #NaturalHistory in this short video: youtu.be/n3XCrtlTZuM?... #pteranodon #plesiosaurs #Cretaceous #PrehistoricAnimals #Paleoart #Kansas

You simply would not believe some of what I come across on my morning walks by the river! #river #plesiosaurs #lochness #monster #lochnessmonster #swans #tiger

#FossilFriday Plesiosaurs and Pliosaurs, the real life Sea dragons!
Smaugust 18

1- Elasmosaurus Platyurus
2- Attenborosaurus Conyibeari
3- Kronosaurus Queenslandicus
4- Rhomaleosaurus Cramptoni

#Plesiosaurs #Pliosaurs #Smaugust #Smaugust2025 #SeaDragons #PaleoArt #Artyear #BskyArt #Art

A fossorial polycolytid from Australia

Gwimblydon zachanni is a species of placental mammals that are closely related to afrotheres from the Early Eocene of what’s now Africa - Species was from mistercdp’s project, The Cenozoic: After Impact

Serradontovenator longucorpus, a species of large velociraptorine dromaeosaur from the Paleocene of Eurasia; from reptile’s project, The Lesser K-Pg Extinction

Fully aquatic spinosaurs from the Oligocene of what’s now the Indian Ocean

For #AltKPg flocking today, we did:
- Terrestrial #plesiosaurs
- Gwimblydon zachanni
- Serradontovenator longucorpus
- #Spinosaur ghost lineage

#speculativeevolution #speculativebiology #dinosaur #mammal

PREHISTORIC PLANET: DISCOVERING DINOSAURS Prehistoric Planet: Discovering Dinosaurs at Lightroom is a celebration of our natural world through captivating storytelling, breathtaking visuals and groundbreaking technology, in collaboration with...

Do you like #PrehistoricPlanet? Do you like life-sized, animated projections of gigantic #sauropods, azhdarchid #pterosaurs, #plesiosaurs, T. rex and more... and can you get to #London? If yes, you MUST see the #Lightroom #DiscoveringDinosaurs show, it's extraordinary!! lightroom.uk/whats-on/pre...

Happy #FossilFriday! #Plesiosaurs, unlike many other #marinereptiles, swam through the water using 4 large flippers. This required massive muscles, and big shoulder and hip bones for those muscles. These bones are visible on #MOR995, the partial skeleton of a plesiosaur.

Went to Etches Collection www.theetchescollection.org in Kimmeridge today, half term nanny activities. Just loved the wall of kids drawings #etchescollection #fossils #Jurassic #plesiosaurs #ichtheosaurs

New elasmosaur published! Traskasaura sandrae, the provincial fossil of #BritishColumbia, had many plesiomorphic traits & others convergent with derived aristonectines. Thankful to be coauthor & artist on this - life reconstruction below!
Free paper: tinyurl.com/4588xrka
#paleontology #plesiosaurs

Happy Fossil Friday! Meet the short-necked plesiosaur, Cryptocleidus oxoniensis. This marine reptile’s short tail could only function as a rudder, leaving the limbs as its main organ of propulsion.

#plesiosaurs #fossils #FossilFriday

Muscutt and Naish with Anning Plesiosaurus.

Muscutt and Naish with rhomaleosaur cast.

Here we are, doing #plesiosaurs

A new specimen of Plesiopterys wildi reveals the diversification of cryptoclidian precursors and possible endemism within European Early Jurassic plesiosaur assemblages Background A virtually complete and articulated plesiosaur skeleton (MH 7) is described from the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) Posidonienschiefer Formation near Holzmaden in southern Germany. Plesiosaur r...

Published today in Peerj: peerj.com/articles/189...
#plesiosaurs #paleontology #Jurassic #Sauropterygia

copies of Ancient Sea Reptiles, the book, with some marine reptile models nearby.

I'm in Bournemouth tomorrow to talk Ancient Sea Reptiles. Late notice but more info at .... bnss.org.uk/event/dinosa... #marinereptiles #plesiosaurs #ichthyosaurs

Palaeoart showing two polycotylid plesiosaurs from above.

Palaeoart showing sauropods in silhouette against dawn or dusk sky.

Drawing showing hadrosaur being pulled underwater by mosasaur.

Underwater palaeoart showing dark mosasaur descending with elasmosaurid in its jaws.

Today's #ArtBoost is for David Soriano @shamublackfish.bsky.social, associated with Alf Museum of Paleontology and a geology undergrad. Does ancient marine animals of many sorts - #plesiosaurs #mosasaurs #thalattosuchians - also #dinosaurs and more. Brilliant work and watch this space :)

Artwork showing #plesiosaurs looking above the water surface sometimes puts their necks into an S-curve, or as emerging at a 40 degree (or so) angle. Our aim was to keep the neck at a low angle, more like 10 degrees, which is more in keeping with plesiosaur neck flexibility.

We have no direct data on this for Late Cretaceous #plesiosaurs (or, nothing that’s been interpreted as such, to my knowledge)… but we do have some possibly applicable data from the Jurassic.

.... these #plesiosaurs more likely fed by sieving through sediment on the seafloor in a manner similar to that practised by grey whales.

Montage of Morturneria skull images from technical paper.

.... sieve-like batteries. Bizarrely, the lower jaw teeth of Morturneria are directed outwards and downwards from the jaw edges. #plesiosaurs #marinereptiles

Prehistoric Planet Morturneria group as seen from underwater. Murky and dark scene.

We think that _all_ #plesiosaurs (plus the members of related groups) were endothermic based on bone histology and isotopic data from tooth enamel.