Pliosauromorphs

Pliosauromorphs refers to a paraphyletic group of marine reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic Era. This group is characterized by the pliosaurid body plan, which includes a short neck, a large head, and four powerful flippers. Pliosauromorphs were highly successful predators, occupying various ecological niches in the ancient oceans. They are distinguished from their close relatives, the plesiosaurs, primarily by their shorter necks and more robust build.

The fossil record shows that pliosauromorphs evolved in the Early Jurassic and persisted until the Late Cretaceous. Their diet likely consisted of fish, belemnites, and other marine animals. Some of the largest known pliosauromorphs, such as Pliosaurus and Liopleurodon, were apex predators capable of taking down large prey, including other marine reptiles. Their powerful jaws and sharp teeth were well-suited for seizing and tearing flesh.

While often grouped together, pliosauromorphs represent a grade of evolution rather than a strict taxonomic clade. This means that not all descendants of the earliest pliosauromorphs are included in the group, and some members are more closely related to plesiosaurs than to other pliosauromorphs. Despite this, the term is useful for describing the distinctive morphology and ecological role of these formidable marine hunters. Their extinction, like that of many other marine reptiles, is often linked to the K-Pg extinction event.