Liopleurodon

Liopleurodon is a genus of large carnivorous marine reptile in the group known as pliosaurids, within the broader order Plesiosauria. It lived during the Middle to Late Jurassic, roughly 165 to 150 million years ago, in what is now Europe. The best-known species is Liopleurodon ferox, and fossil material has been found primarily in England’s Jurassic-age marine deposits and in France, with additional remains reported from other European sites. The genus includes several described species, though many are considered dubious or have been reassigned as new evidence emerged.

Anatomy and appearance were characteristic of pliosaurids: a robust skull and powerful jaws, a relatively short neck, and large paddle-like flippers adapted for swift movement in open water. This combination made Liopleurodon one of the apex marine predators of its time. Estimates of body size vary, but most well-supported reconstructions place Liopleurodon at about 6 to 7 meters in length, with some individuals possibly reaching around 10 meters. Claims of sizes as large as 25 meters are not supported by the available fossil evidence.

Ecology and biology suggest Liopleurodon hunted a range of marine prey, including large fish and other marine reptiles. The teeth were long, conical, and sharp, well suited for grasping and puncturing prey in a marine environment. As a member of the pliosaurids, Liopleurodon represents a lineage of short-necked plesiosaurs that occupied high trophic levels in jurassic seas. Ongoing research continues to refine its anatomy, size range, and evolutionary relationships.