Paleontologists from the University of Portsmouth have discovered evidence indicating that pliosaurs, closely related to Liopleurodon, could grow up to 14.4 meters (47.2 feet) long—double the size of a killer whale. This finding arose from four large vertebrae located in an Oxfordshire museum, challenging earlier size estimates, including those depicted in the BBC’s “Walking with Dinosaurs.” Originally, the documentary suggested Liopleurodon could reach lengths of 25 meters (82 feet), a claim deemed exaggerated. Professor David Martill acknowledges miscalculating the size of Liopleurodon based on limited data but asserts that recent discoveries provide more reliable evidence for significant marine reptile sizes.
Characteristically, pliosaurs had elongated heads and large, dagger-like teeth, comparable in size and power to those of T. rex, indicating they were apex predators in the marine ecosystems of the Late Jurassic era, around 145-152 million years ago. They likely preyed on various marine reptiles, including ichthyosaurs and smaller crocodiles. The vertebrae were discovered during excavations at Warren Farm in Oxfordshire’s Kimmeridge Clay Formation, solidifying the existence of these gigantic creatures in ancient seas. The findings are detailed in a recent paper published in “The Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association.”
