Name:
Habitat:
Historical Period:
Size and Weight:
Diet:
Distinguishing Characteristics:
About Liopleurodon:
Although paleontologists agree that Liopleurodon must have been a fearsome predator of the Jurassic seas, there's less consensus about how big this pliosaur actually was: estimates range anywhere from 20 to 35 feet long, with proportional variations in weight. Matters haven't been helped by an episode of Walking with Dinosaurs that showed a Liopleurodon nearly 75 feet long, which experts dismiss as nonsense.
Whatever the case, it's clear that Liopleurodon was built for predation. Despite its bulk, it was likely able to propel itself quickly and smoothly through the water with its four powerful flippers, holding its mouth open to catch unfortunate fish and squids. (Not everyone agrees that Liopleurodon swam with its mouth open, but proponents point out that this would have allowed it to better smell its prey.)
