Tulliana

Tulliana is a genus of extinct marine reptiles belonging to the order Plesiosauria, specifically within the family Elasmosauridae. Fossils of Tulliana have been found in Late Cretaceous deposits, primarily in North America. These long-necked plesiosaurs were characterized by their immense size, with some individuals estimated to have reached lengths of over 15 meters. Their elongated necks, composed of numerous cervical vertebrae, allowed them to effectively hunt prey in the ancient seas. The skull of Tulliana was relatively small compared to its body, and it possessed numerous sharp, conical teeth, indicative of a piscivorous diet.

The discovery of Tulliana has contributed significantly to our understanding of the diversity and evolution of elasmosaurid plesiosaurs during the final stages of the Cretaceous period. While the exact number of valid species within the genus has been subject to revision by paleontologists, Tulliana represents an important lineage of marine predators that coexisted with other large marine reptiles like mosasaurs and sharks. Fossil evidence suggests they inhabited shallow to moderately deep marine environments, likely occupying a niche as apex predators within their ecosystems. Further research continues to shed light on the paleobiology and phylogenetic relationships of this fascinating group of prehistoric marine life.