Cretaceous Plesiosaur vertebra, Zarafasaura Oceanis, North Africa, Triassic - Cretaceous 215 to 80 million years ago

Plesiosaur refers to the groups of long neck marine reptiles that lived during the late Triassic period into the late Cretaceous period around 215-80 million years ago. Plesiosaurs had a wide distribution in European seas and around the Pacific Ocean. Plesiosaur is charoctorised by the long neck with a relatively small head for iuts size, four paddle shaped limbs used for swimming and a thick robust tail. Plesiosaurs varied dramatically in length, from approx 5ft upto 49ft, it is thought that plesiosaurs long neck was used as a hunting advantage to catch its prey, as the prey concentrated on Plesiosaurs heavy set body, the long neck would turn from a different direction and bite.