Species: plesiosaur
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Plesiosaurs (plesiosauria) were an order or clade of marine reptiles existing during the same time as dinosaurs, but were not dinosaurs themselves. They first appeared during the late triassic period and thrived during the jurassic period, eventually replacing ichthyosaurs as top marine predator through the late cretaceous period. Plesiosaurs went extinct during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event (K-Pg or K-T event).
Plesiosaurs are often characterized by long, stiff necks and flippers in place of legs. However, it should be noted that many did not have long necks (pliosaurs) so it may be worth looking species up if one is uncertain.
Families and species:
More information:
This tag implicates reptile, marine (learn more).
The following tags implicate this tag: plesiosaurus, pliosaur, elasmosaurid, cryptoclidid, plesiosaur_taur (learn more).