Saturday, August 31, 2024

vintage Plesiosaurus art

From Wiki- Plesiosaurus (Greek: πλησίος (plesios), near to + σαῦρος (sauros), lizard) is a genus of extinct, large marine sauropterygian reptile that lived during the Early Jurassic. It is known by nearly complete skeletons from the Lias of England. It is distinguishable by its small head, long and slender neck, broad turtle-like body, a short tail, and two pairs of large, elongated paddles. It lends its name to the order Plesiosauria, of which it is an early, but fairly typical member. It contains only one species, the type, Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus. Other species once assigned to this genus, including P. brachypterygius, P. guilielmiimperatoris, and P. tournemirensis have been reassigned to new genera, such as Hydrorion, Seeleyosaurus and Occitanosaurus.

I have loved these marine reptiles since I have seen them.  They look like nothing else on the planet. They were also one of the earliest prehistoric animals ever discovered, thank you,  Mary Anning!  I mean, fossils of the beasts had been seen before she found a near complete one, but she should get credit and have one named after her.

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