Meyerasaurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids MeyerasaurusTemporal range: Lower Jurassic
183–180 mya |
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| The holotype in the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart | |
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†Meyerasaurus
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Meyerasaurus was an extinct type of plesiosaur. Plesiosaurs were large marine reptiles that lived in the oceans long ago. This creature was a medium-sized pliosaur, which is a group of plesiosaurs with shorter necks and larger heads.
An almost complete fossil of Meyerasaurus was discovered in Holzmaden, a place in southeastern Germany. This amazing fossil was found in shale rock over 150 years ago. Shale is a type of rock formed from mud and clay.
The rocks where it was found date back to the early Jurassic period. This was about 183 to 180 million years ago! For many years, this fossil was thought to be a species of Plesiosaurus. But in 2010, scientists gave it its own special name, Meyerasaurus.
Most of its relatives, part of the family called Rhomaleosauridae, have been found in England. These fossils were found in rocks from the very beginning of the Jurassic period.
What Did Meyerasaurus Look Like?
Scientists know about Meyerasaurus from a very special fossil. This fossil is called the holotype, which means it's the main example used to describe the species. Its scientific name is SMNS 12478.
This fossil is an almost complete skeleton that is still connected. It even includes the skull, which is the head bone. The skull is about 37 cm (15 in) long. The whole animal was about 3.35 m (11.0 ft) long, which is roughly the length of a small car.
The fossil was found in a famous rock layer called the Posidonia Shale. This shale is known for preserving fossils very well. It dates back to the early Toarcian stage of the Early Jurassic period. This means it lived around 183 to 180 million years ago.
See also
In Spanish: Meyerasaurus para niños
