Dinosaur reptiles Liopleurodon

Reptilia

Plesiosauria

Pliosauridae

Liopleurodon was an aquatic reptile predator with four paddle-like fins and an enormous pair of jaws. Liopleurodon was an average sized plesiosaur. A great beast dubbed "Predator X" has recently been discovered. This mysterious creature may have been three times the size of Liopleurodon. This finding highlights that pliosaurs were definitely the kings of the oceans during much of the reign of the dinosaurs. "Liopleurodon would move like no other marine animal we know of today, moving effortlessly through the water flapping its four flippers like wings"

Liopleurodon lived during the Mid-Late Jurassic

• Europe
• Bedfordshire, UK
• Cambridgeshire, UK
• France
• Russia

This aquatic reptile was found in a strip of ancient rock running through Oxford, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire in England known as the Callovian Clay. Its fossils have also been found in France and Russia. The Callovian Clay has been preserved for the last 160 million years and contains remnants of numerous other creatures such as marine crocodiles and Ichthyosaurs.

"Liopleurodon lived in the ocean and seas of the Jurassic with other awesome prehistoric marine animals. Its fossils are restricted to Europe, but it may have been more widespread"

There is still much to discover about Liopleurodon's sense of hearing. Liopleurodon's teeth could reach a whopping 10 cm (4 in) in length, that's the length of a Swiss Army knife and about as sharp too. Liopleurodon, much like a great white shark, probably would have used its very powerful sense of smell to locate prey, like an undersea bloodhound.Palaeontologists know very little about the toilet habits of Liopleurodon.

The very first Liopleurodon fossil ever to be discovered was found by Henri Émile Sauvage, in 1873. He uncovered a tooth, near Boulogne-sur-Mer in France, and named the creature Liopleurodon ferox. It would become the most famous of all Liopleurodon species."Despite its status as a fierce predator, Liopleurodon is thought to have swum at speeds of just under 10 kph (6 mph) which is pretty slow. Modern dolphins can swim at double this speed and Liopleurodon would not compete well in the Americas Cup yacht race."

source : http://www.walkingwithdinosaurs.com

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