How It Works-Book Of Dinosaurs

MOST AMAZING DINOSAURS

Plesiosaurus

(‘Close to lizard’)

Carnivore

Early Jurassic, 195 MYA

Found in: England

Lived in: Forests

Dino skill

The long neck of the Plesiosaurus has

40 bones compared to human necks

that only have seven. This long neck

allowed the Plesiosaurus to reach food

in tight spaces.

Killer rating: 3/

Speed: 2/

Defence: 2/

Plesiosaurus

As well as eating fi

sh,

Plesiosaurs also ate

stones, which helped

digest the fi

grinding them sh by

down inside their

stomachs

Fact

Streamlined

Smooth skin helped the

Plesiosaurus swim

Sneak attack

Plesiosaurus’s eyes were on

the side of its head, so that

it could look up at its prey,

and attack from below

Flippers

Plesiosaurus had fl ippers to

push itself through the

water at about 16km/h,

which is slower than

today’s dolphins or whales

Breathing out

When breathing out it would push

the air out through its nostrils

Fishy feast

Needle-like teeth were

able to trap fi sh

Breathing in

The Plesiosaurus

would breathe in

through its mouth