Mauisaurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mauisaurus |
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Mauisaurus
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haasti
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Imagine a giant swimming reptile with a super long neck! That's Mauisaurus ("Maui reptile"). This amazing creature was a type of plesiosaur, a group of ancient marine reptiles. It lived a very long time ago, around 80 to 69 million years ago, during a period called the Upper Cretaceous. Mauisaurus was likely the biggest plesiosaur, and maybe even the largest ocean reptile, swimming in the waters around New Zealand back then. The only known type is called Mauisaurus haasti. Scientists have found a few of its fossils, but only a few are nearly complete.
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Meet Mauisaurus: A Giant of the Ancient Seas
Mauisaurus was a truly massive animal. It could grow to be over 8 meters (about 26 feet) long! That's longer than a school bus. This makes it one of the largest plesiosaurs ever discovered.
What Did Mauisaurus Look Like?
One of the most amazing things about Mauisaurus was its incredibly long neck. It had 68 cervical vertebrae, which are the bones in the neck. This gave it one of the longest necks of any plesiosaur.
Like other plesiosaurs, Mauisaurus had a long, slender body. Its body was made up of many small bones, which allowed it to be very flexible. This flexibility helped it move easily through the water.
Flippers for Fast Swimming
On its underside, Mauisaurus had two sets of large flippers. These flippers were like powerful paddles. They helped the plesiosaur swim at high speeds through the ocean. Some scientists think these flippers might have even allowed Mauisaurus to come onto shore for short amounts of time, perhaps to lay eggs or rest.
How Did Mauisaurus Live?
Mauisaurus was a carnivore, which means it ate meat. It had sharp, jagged teeth that were perfect for gripping slippery prey. Scientists believe it mainly hunted fish and squid. Its long neck might have helped it sneak up on prey or quickly snatch fish from a distance.
Where Did Mauisaurus Live?
Fossils of Mauisaurus have been found in New Zealand. This tells us that these incredible marine reptiles swam in the waters around New Zealand millions of years ago. They were a big part of the ocean ecosystem during the Late Cretaceous period.
See also
In Spanish: Mauisaurus para niños
