Plesiosauroidea
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Plesiosauroidea is an extinct clade of carnivorous marine reptiles. They have the snake-like longest neck to body ratio of any reptile. Plesiosauroids are known from the Jurassic and Cretaceous period
Dolichorhynchops
Paleo Hall at HMNS plesiosaur
Traskasaura
Autograph letter concerning the discovery of Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus (NHMUK PV OR 22656), from Mary Anning.
Elasmosauridae
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Elasmosauridae, often called elasmosaurs or elasmosaurids, is an extinct family of plesiosaurs that lived from the Hauterivian stage of the Early Cretaceous to the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cret
Plesiosauroidea
…unspecialized types which are limited to the Early Jurassic period; Cryptoclididae, (e.g. Cryptoclidus), with a medium-long neck and somewhat stocky build; Elasmosauridae, with very long, flexible necks and tiny heads; and the Cimoliasauridae, a poorly known group of small Cretaceous forms. According to traditional…
Restoration showing two Elasmosaurus swimming with straight necks
Outdated restoration of Elasmosaurus showing its neck raised above water, by Samuel Wendell Williston, 1914
Gastroliths and bones (right) of an undetermined plesiosaur from Kansas
Placochelys BW