Liopleurodon Vertebra

Description

Liopleurodon was a colossal reptile which swam in the Jurassic seas over 155 million years ago. This fossil specimen is of a Liopleurodon macromerus’ centrum part of the vertebrae, the part which makes up the circular center of any vertebrae. It measures 11 cm in diameter and weighs 601 grams and was collected from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK. Believed to be from the Kimmeridgian epoch which was in the mid Jurassic period, dating the fossil to between 160 to 155 million years old. Fossil remains suggest that it could grow up to almost 7 meters in length (21 feet) Its massive jaws which made up a quarter of its over all body length. Its name is derived from the ancient Greek words which mean ‘smooth sided tooth’ It was the apex predator of its time and environment, with little else to fear except other liopleurodons. It belongs to the sub group of short necked plesiosaur family of marine reptiles, characterised by their four flipper mode of propulsion. Tests have shown, that while liopleurodons method of propulsion was not the most efficient in terms of energy, it could provide extremely fast acceleration (for an animal of such size) which is a desired trait in ambush predators. It gained major notoriety in 1999 when it was depicted in detail in the BBC documentary series, ‘Walking with Dinosaurs’. This specimen comes supplied with a card tray and information label