Name:
Macroplata (Greek for "giant plate"); pronounced MACK-roe-PLAT-ah
Habitat:
Shores of Western Europe
Historical Period:
Early Jurassic (200-175 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 15 feet long; weight unknown
Diet:
Fish
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Long, thin head and medium-length neck; powerful shoulder muscles
About Macroplata:
As aquatic reptiles go, Macroplata stands out for three reasons. First, the two known species of this genus span over 15 million years of the early Jurassic --an unusually long time span for a single animal (which has led some paleontologists to speculate that the two species actually belong to separate genuses). Second, although it's classified as a pliosaur, Macroplata has some distinctively plesiosaur-like traits, such as its long neck. Third (and by no means least), analysis of Macroplata's remains shows that this reptile had unusually powerful front flippers, and was almost certainly a very fast swimmer.
