What is Pliosaur?
The '''pliosaurs''' were a group of large [[Marine biology|marine]] [[plesiosaur]] [[reptile]]s. They lived in the [[Mesozoic]] [[era]] (later [[Jurassic]] period). They had short necks and large heads, with large hind flippers. Their sizes ranged from two to 15 metres. They were [[Predation|predators]] of large fish and other marine reptiles.<ref>Benson R.B.J; Evans M; Smith A.S. Sassoon J. Moore-Faye S. Ketchum H.F. & Forrest R. 2013. Butler, Richard J (ed). A giant pliosaurid skull from the late Jurassic of England. PLOS ONE. '''8''' (5): e65989. Bibcode:2013PLoSO...865989B. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0065989. PMC 3669260. PMID 23741520.</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67650247] Pliosaur discovery: Huge sea monster emerges from Dorset cliffs</ref> The first specimen was found by [[Mary Anning]], on the [[Jurassic Coast]] of [[Lyme Regis]], England, in the 1820s. Many of her finds are on display in the [[Natural History Museum]], [[London]]. Their body shape suggests they swam and ate under water.<ref>Benton M.J. 2004. ''Vertebrate palaeontology''. 3rd ed, Blackwell, Oxford.</ref><sup>p29</sup> It was suggested by D.M.S. Watson that plesiosaurs fell into two groups. The pliosaurs were large predators which ate large prey in deep water. The other plesiosaurs were long-necked with smaller heads. Their method was as surface swimmers, mostly eating with their head above water, darting down to snatch smaller fish which were feeding on [[plankton]].<ref>Watson D.M.S. 1951. ''Palaeontology and modern biology''. Yale, CT.</ref><ref>Watson D.M.S. 1958. ''Studies on fossil vertebrates''. London.</ref> The pliosaur group also contained sea-dwelling lizards called [[Mosasaur|mosasaurs]]. The most famous members of the pliosaur family are ''[[Kronosaurus]]'', ''[[Rhomaleosaurus]]'' and ''[[Liopleurodon]]''. == References == {{Reflist}} [[Category:Plesiosaurs]] [[Category:Marine reptiles]]