Name:
Mauisaurus (Greek for "Maui lizard"); pronounced MOU-ee-SORE-us
Habitat:
Shores of Australasia
Historical Period:
Late Cretaceous (65 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 55 feet long; weight unknown
Diet:
Fish
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Extremely long neck and slender body
About Mauisaurus:
The name Mauisaurus is misleading in two ways: first, this aquatic reptile shouldn't be confused with Maiasaura (a terrestrial, duck-billed dinosaur), and second, the "Maui" in its name refers not to Hawaii, but to a deity of the Maori people of New Zealand.
Now that we've gotten those details out of the way, Mauisaurus was one of the biggest plesiosaurs alive at the end of the Cretaceous period, attaining lengths of close to 60 feet (though a fair proportion of this was taken up by its long, slender neck). Because it's one of the few dinosaur-era fossils to be discovered in New Zealand, Mauisaurus has been featured on a postage stamp there.
