Life restorations
This gallery contains recent and historical restorations of plesiosaurs - portrayals of their possible appearance in life. This includes illustrations, painings, and museum models; but not toys, which have a separate page dedicated to them (Toys page). Note that because some of these restorations are old they may be outdated and contain anatomical inaccuracies.
Cryptoclidus model in the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow, Scotland. Photograph by Adam S. Smith.
3D 'bust' of a Cryptoclidus head in the York Museum, UK. Photograph by Adam S. Smith.
3D 'bust' of a Cryptoclidus head in the York Museum, UK. Photograph by Adam S. Smith.
Cryptoclidus on land, as depicted in 'Walking with Dinosaurs'. From Martill and Naish, 2000.
Cryptoclidus painting by Zdenek Burian.
Cryptoclidus illustration by Zdenek Burian.
Elasmosaurus illustration by Adam S. Smith
Elasmosaurus painting by Zdenek Burian.
Elasmosaurus and mosasaur painting by Zdenek Burian.
Elasmosaurus painting by Debby Cotter Kaspari
Elasmosaurus painting by Debby Cotter Kaspari, showing detail of the head.
Elasmosaurus illustration by Smit
Elasmosaurus painting by Rudolf Zallinger.
Eurycleidus illustration by Adam S. Smith.
Hydrorion painting by Zdenek Burian
Hydrorion model by Adam Procházka, in the Hauff Museum.
Hydrorion model by Adam Procházka, in the Hauff Museum.
Hydrorion model by Adam Procházka, in the Hauff Museum.
Hydrotherosaurus head painting by Zdenek Burian.
Keichousaurus painting by Gareth Monger.
Liopleurodon illustration by Adam S. Smith.
Macroplata model
Macroplata illustration by Wilson
Marine reptiles diorama by ?.
Head of a Meyerasaurus model in the SMNS.
Meyerasaurus model in the SMNS.
Muraenosaurus head painting by Zdenek Burian.
Nothosaurus model in the SMNS (Löwentor-Museum) in Stuttgart, Germany. Notice the fossil skeleton under the head. Photo by Markus Felix Bühler.
Nothosaurus model in the SMNS (Löwentor-Museum) in Stuttgart, Germany. Photo by Markus Felix Bühler.
Nothosaurus model in the SMNS (Löwentor-Museum) in Stuttgart, Germany. Photo by Markus Felix Bühler.
Nothosaurus model in the SMNS (Löwentor-Museum) in Stuttgart, Germany. Photo by Markus Felix Bühler.
Nothosaurus model by Adam Procházka, in the Staaliches Museum für Naturkunde, Karlsruhe.
Peloneustes model - plaster cast produced by the Rev. H. Neville Hutchinson (1922).
Peloneustes model - plaster cast produced by the Rev. H. Neville Hutchinson (1922).
Peloneustes painting by Dzenek Burian.
Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus model at Crystal Palace Park, by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins.
Thalassiodracon hawkinsi model at Crystal Palace Park, by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins.
'Plesiosaurus' macrocephalus model at Crystal Palace Park, by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins.
'Plesiosaurus' macrocephalus model at Crystal Palace Park, by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins.
Pliosaurus brachyspondylus model by Arril Johnson.
Pliosaurus brachyspondylus model by Arril Johnson, in the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.
Pliosaurus brachyspondylus model by Arril Johnson, in the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.
Pliosaurus brachyspondylus model by Arril Johnson, in the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.
Styxosaurus head painting by Zdenek Burian.