Written by David Leggett | 25the June 2018
In our Expert Talks, we hand over the metaphorical pen to one of our experts to discuss a subject in their field of expertise. Because of the plesiosaur skeleton we have in auction this week (ends 28th June), natural history expert David Leggett discusses whether this prehistoric sea monster could be the real Loch Ness Monster.
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Plesiosaurs were large, flat-bodied and long-necked creatures, with flippers, or “paddles” in place of legs and long, flexible tails. They were widespread throughout the world’s oceans during the Earth’s Jurassic period, but like their cousins, the dinosaurs, failed to survive the Cretaceous-Tertiary “extinction event”. Like today’s toothed whales and sharks, plesiosaurs were apex predators, many some 17 metres in length!
- Illustration of a pliosaur
- Image source: Science News for Students
Since the early 19th century, science has identified more than a hundred separate species of this marine reptile. Perhaps one of the very best preserved complete skeletons discovered was a completely intact juvenile plesiosaur found by a local fisherman at Bridgwater Bay National Nature Reserve in Somerset, UK in 2004. The fossil, dating from 180 million years ago as indicated by the ammonites associated with it, measured 1.5 metres. As the dominant marine predators of their time, plesiosaurs fed on “bony fish” as well both hard and soft-bodied Cephalopods such as nautilus and squid.
The 3-metre pliosaur skeleton up for auction on Catawiki
The Loch Ness Monster?
Have they survived? Most unlikely, if not wholly impossible. However, ardent believers in Scotland’s Loch Ness Monster, would tell you otherwise. ‘Witness statements’ and ‘photographs’ of the monster all describe a large marine reptile with flippers, a long flexible neck and a small head… What do you think?
- Photos of Loch Ness Monster sightings
- Image source left: Wikipedia, right: Youtube
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This week’s Premium-Grade Fossil auction lists just such a “monster” – a 3-metre Plesiosaur skeleton unearthed in Morocco in 2015. Don't forget to check out the full auction and discover what other monsters have surfaced this week.
Discover more Plesiosaurs | fossils | dinosaurs
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