Category Archives: marine reptiles

Pregnant Plesiosaurs and Baby Bones: Bone histology reveals ontogeny in polycotylid plesiosaurs — PLOS Paleo Community

Pregnancy in the fossil record is an exciting find. Setting aside the sad fact that an unfortunate mother met her demise while carrying a baby, these one in a million specimens provides some key insight into the behavior and lifestyle of organisms unlike any living today. One such specimen is on display at the Natural HistoryContinue reading “Pregnant Plesiosaurs and Baby Bones: Bone histology reveals ontogeny in polycotylid plesiosaurs — PLOS Paleo Community”

PLOS Paleo Top 10 OA Fossil Vertebrates #5: Atopodentatus unicus

As we continue in our countdown of the winners of the Top 10 Open Access Fossil Vertebrates of the past year, we get to probably the most unusual of the group. Coming in at #5 is the herbivorous marine reptile Atopodentatus unicus, from the Middle Triassic of China. Atopodentatus was redescribed this year and published open access inContinue reading “PLOS Paleo Top 10 OA Fossil Vertebrates #5: Atopodentatus unicus”

A new look at old bones reveals patterns of neck elongation in elasmosaurids

I think at this point it’s no secret that I really really really like aquatic animals, especially of the extinct variety (in case you don’t believe me, see here and here and here and here and here and here! Whew!!). So I just couldn’t resist featuring another study on aquatic organisms that came out thisContinue reading “A new look at old bones reveals patterns of neck elongation in elasmosaurids”

Happy Fins: Plesiosaurs Flapped like Penguins

One of the most infuriating things about being a paleontologist is being able to study some of the coolest organisms that have ever inhabited the Earth, yet never being able to see one in life. We’ll never know with complete surety what color they were, what they sounded like, and how they moved. Thankfully, newContinue reading “Happy Fins: Plesiosaurs Flapped like Penguins”