Pliosaurus

Pliosaurus Temporal range: Late Jurassic, 155.7–150.8 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
P. macromerus jaw, Natural History Museum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Superorder:	†Sauropterygia
Order:	†Plesiosauria
Family:	†Pliosauridae
Genus:	†Pliosaurus Owen, 1841
Type species
†Pliosaurus brachydeirus Owen, 1841
Species
†P. brachydeirus Owen, 1840 †P. macromerus Philips, 1871 †P. portentificus Noè et al., 2004
Synonyms
Stretosaurus

Pliosaurus (meaning 'more lizard') is a genus of extinct marine reptile. It is included in the family Pliosauridae. Its diet would have included fish, squid and other marine reptiles. This genus has contained several species in the past but it currently consists of the type species P. brachydeirus, P. macromerus and P. portentificus.

Discovery and Species

Restoration of Pliosaurus

Currently there are three recognized species of Pliosaurus, all known from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation of England.

Pliosaurus brachydeirus and Pliosaurus macromerus are both known from the Kimmeridgian of England.

Pliosaurus portentificus is known from the late Kimmeridgian of England.

Websites

• http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSL2771508220080227?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0
• http://www.norway.org/restech/researchnews/pliosaurus.htm
• http://www.nhm.uio.no/pliosaurus/index.html
• http://www.nationalgeographic.com/seamonsters/timeline/#pliosaurus
• http://www.britannica.com/facts/5/252688/pliosaur-as-discussed-in-plesiosaur-fossil-marine-reptile