A typical plesiosaur or pliosaur had a
tubby body, four paddle-like limbs, and
a shortish, tapering tail. An Early Jurassic
pliosaur was Macroplata, and a Later
Jurassic one Peloneustes, both 3-4mJ
1 0-13ft in overall length, During the
following Cretaceous Period, some
pliosaurs reached massive proportions.
One was Liopleurodon, whose size
estimates range up to 15-20m/50-65ft
plus from nose to tail, and its weight a
staggering 50 or even 100 tonnes. If so,
this would' place it as the largest predator
ever to live on Earth -larger even than
today's record-holder, the sperm whale.
Pliosaurs seized substantial prey, such as
big ammonites and fish, as well as other
marine reptiles, too, with their rows of
sharp, back-curved fangs.