Liopleurodon

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This name was assigned to this creature primarily because of the shape of the teeth. Another fossil was found in another area in France, which was named L. grossouvrei. Furthermore, in 1999, more people learned about this extinct animal when it was featured in the BBC series Walking With Dinosaurs. As the apex predators that they were, Liopleurodon had a wide variety of prey, ranging from ichthyosaurs to marine crocodiles, sharks, and other pliosaurs. McHenry (2009) suggested that the reconstruction “ may have been based upon StretosaurusTarlo, 1959″ (p.258) and added that “From vertebral counts of the different body segments and general proportions of the skull it undoubtedly represents a large pliosaurid, perhaps‘ Stretosaurus’( Pliosaurus macromerus)” (p. 370). McHenry also noted that “Tarlo… seemed to imply that the reconstruction was partly based upon the Stretham specimen…”(p.359), and subsequently refers to the reconstruction as the “‘Newman and Tarlo Stretosaurus‘ reconstruction, or the ‘ Stretosaurus’ reconstruction” (e.g. p. 370) and says the reconstruction is “ apparently based upon the Stewartby and Stretham specimens” (p. 370). I’ve bolded key parts to highlight that there’s no direct evidence for this assertion – not that I disagree with it. There are two determinations for this specimen in the NHM’s data portal. One of the determinations is Liopleurodon ferox but this is an old identification (Hilary Ketchum, personal communication). The most recent determination is attributed to my friend and fellow plesiosaur palaeontologist Dr Hilary Ketchum who regards it more cautiously as an indeterminate pliosaurid (personal communication). [In a previous version of this article I wrongly attributed the Liopeurodon ferox determination to Hilary]. So, there you go, the Newman & Tarlo reconstruction is based on material that was once referred to Liopleurodon ferox, and although the material is too incomplete to be sure, it could be. Ah, if only it were that simple… Geological map of Stewartby showing the position of the Coronation Pit where the ‘Stewartby Pliosaur’ was excavated from the Peterborough Member of the Oxford Clay Formation.

From its physical characteristics to its behavior, diet, and more, it is evident that the Liopleurodon was a formidable animal. It is easy to guess that these species competed with Liopleurodon for food, although they were also likely prey to this creature because of its huge size and position on the food chain. Liopleurodon were aquatic reptiles that constituted a significant part of the ecosystem about 160 million years ago.

It is a spectacular figure and is by far the most accurate pliosaur toy reviewed on The Dinosaur Toy Blog so far. All of the Walking with Dinosaurs figures are almost perfectly symmetrical, which is a let down in most of the figures which appear to be just ‘standing around’. However, this is not so much of an issue in the aquatic Liopleurodon. The figure is 24cm long. However, the size of this reptile was exaggerated, with the magazine claiming that it could reach 39 feet. Robinson, J, A. 1975. The locomotion of plesiosaurs. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie un Paläontologie – Abhandlungen, 149, 286–332. More bones were recovered in other areas in France, and although they were initially categorized under the genus Poikilopleuron, Sauvage finally classified them under Liopleurodon. While paleontologists had concluded that the Liopleurodon had a maximum length of 25 feet, the series portrayed the animal as long as 80 feet.

Due to their massive size and hunting skills, it is hard to believe that Liopleurodon had any natural enemies that could hunt them for food except for other marine reptiles in their clade. Although the Liopleurodon was a giant animal, it was not as big as the Australian giant Kronosaurus, which had a maximum length of 36 feet. Characteristics: Liopleurodon belonged to a special branch of plesiosaurs called ‘pliosaurs’ that had large heads full of teeth, as shown on our Liopleurodon toy. Liopleurodon remains have also been found in and around Germany and England. Gage Beasley’s Prehistoric Shirt Collection Gage Beasley’s Prehistoric Plush Collection There was no substantial evidence to support this claim, but the series’ producers used this outrageous size anyway.

Dimensions

Since they did not have gills like some whales today, they go to the surface to take a huge gulp of air which can last them for over an hour in the depths of water.

Martill, D. M. and Hudson, J. D. (eds.). 1991. Fossils of the Oxford Clay. The Palaeontological Association. Dorset Press, Dorset, 286 pp.

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McHenry, C. R. 2009. Devourer of Gods: the palaeoecology of the Cretaceous pliosaur Kronosaurus queenslandicus. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Newcastle. L. B. Tarlo (who later went by the name of L. B. Halstead) repurposed part of this iconic reconstruction in at least one other publication, captioned as Liopleurodon (Halstead 1982). However, It was apparently Jane Ann Robinson (1975) who first reused the reconstruction under that genus. Robinson (1977) cites a personal communication with Halstead, so they were certainly acquainted with each other by 1977, so it is possible, likely even, that Robinson consulted with Tarlo/Halstead a couple of years earlier when she reused and captioned the reconstruction as Liopleurodon. Although it is hard to determine the lifespan of this creature, Liopleurodon likely lived quite long, like several reptiles we see today. Over the years, several findings established the existence of the Liopleurodon during the Jurassic period, but all these were still uncommon knowledge for a while. This made them conclude that the Liopleurodon had an average length of 16-23 feet. Gage Beasley Prehistoric’s Liopleurodon Size Comparison Chart