Fossil teeth are among the most common fossils found due to their hard structure and the frequency they are lost during growth, feeding and fighting.
Plesiosaurs are highly recognisable long-necked marine reptiles; think Nessie the Loch Ness Monster. They were large marine reptiles that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, approximately 200 to 66 million years ago. They are characterised by their distinctive broad flat body shape, four strong flippers, and long necks. Plesiosaurs were well adapted for life in ancient seas and are considered to be some of the most successful marine reptiles of the Mesozoic era, preying on a wide variety of marine life, including fish, squid, and other marine reptiles.
The order Plesiosauria can be divided into two main groups, the long-necked plesiosauroidea and the shorter-necked pliosauroidea. Plesiosuroidea exhibit extremely long necks with a smaller head size; well known examples include Plesiosaurus and Elasmosaurus. Whereas pliosauroids, such as Pliosaurus and Liopleurodon, exhibited a more crocodile-like shape with shorter necks with massive heads.
Plesiosaurs are a diverse group and their fossils have been discovered worldwide in ancient seas and oceans. Studying them has given scientists a great understanding of reptile evolutionary history, adaptations, and their role in ancient aquatic ecosystems.
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