Opallionectes

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Opallionectes type specimen (SAM P24560). From Poropat et al. (2023).

Opallionectes is a large, around 5 m long, derived cryptoclidid plesiosauroid from the Early Cretaceous of South Australia. It is known from a partial opalised skeleton, which is mounted for display in the South Australian Museum. The holotype specimen lacks a skull. It is diagnosed by the following unique combination of characters:…

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Monquirasaurus

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Monquirasaurus reconstruction. From Hampe (1992)

Monquirasaurus is a giant pliosaurid from Colombia, South America. Originally named by Hampe (1992) as a species of Kronosaurus (K. boyacensis), the skeleton was later allocated to the new genus Monquirasaurus by Noè and Gómez-Pérez (2021). The genus name derives from 'Monquira', the administrative division in which the holotype was discovered. Monquirasaurus skeleton. From Hampe…

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Kronosaurus

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Kronosaurus queenslandicus skeleton in lateral view.

Due to its large size and ferocious appearance, Kronosaurus is one of the most famous plesiosaurs. The iconic skeleton referred to Kronosaurus on display in the Museum of Comparative Zoology in Harvard is nicknamed 'plasterosaurus' because so much of it is reconstructed in plaster. About a third of the skeleton is plaster…

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