The Plesiosaur Directory - News 2006 Archive

October saw the announcement of new plesiosaurs in the Arctic (see below), now a new plesiosaur, this time from the Antarctic is hitting the news. The juvenile specimen lacks a head and is an Elasmosaurid. A detailed report will have to wait however - I am currenty far from home conducting research on the plesiosaurs in the Natural History Museum in Sweden...

In the meantime there are many news stories, but I have done a bit of weeding -

The actual press release - http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-12/nsf-vbl121106.php

Nature - http://www.nature.com/news/2006/061211/full/061211-4.html

This one has a nice animation - NSF- http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=108195&org=NSF

Additional picture accompany theis story - NBC - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16156924/

First elasmosaurid plesiosaur from Montana announced (5/11/2006)

Elasmosaurid plesiosaurs are notorious for 'losing their heads'. In fossil plesiosaur skeletons the skull is frequently missing, unfortunate because this is such a vital part of the anatomy for understanding the relationships and biology of the animal. This fact makes the discovery of a new elasmosaurid skull, the first ever from the state of Montana, all the more significant.

The new elasmosaur skull (photograph kind courtecy of Pat Druckenmiller)

In addition, the new skull is well preserved. Dr Pat Druckenmiller of Montana State University who will be describing the fossil explains -"The new long-necked plesiosaur (elasmosaur) skull is one of the nicest of its kind known from North America. It is unusual in only being slightly crushed; what crushing is present has occurred from from top-to-bottom, not side-to-side, which is unusual and can tell us about parts of the skull that are usually totally messed up...the jaws have only a minimal amount of damage, and are almost completely uncrushed."

The lower law of the new elasmosaur skull (photograph kind courtecy of Pat Druckenmiller)

This unusal preservation should also provide important rare data on the structure of the skull. "CT scanning (courtesy of Bozeman Deaconess Hospital) also provides insight into the interior of the skull, such as the braincase." Druckenmiller said, concluding that "its completeness, relatively small degree of crushing, and quality of preservation makes it one hot skull!"

The skull is from the Late Cretaceous Bearpaw shale, a sequence of 70 million year old marine deposits, and will eventually form part of an exhibit in the Museum of the Rockies.

more here -

Montana State University - http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=4229

Yahoo - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061107/ap_on_sc/sea_reptile

Reseach suggests long-necked plesiosaurs fed on sea-bed (3/11/2006)

The long neck of the plesiosaur is a mysterious adaptation for which many hypotheses have been proposed. The most recent suggestion comes from Dr Lesley Noe of the University of Cambridge . After examination of the neck vertebrae of the long-necked plesiosaur Muraenosaurus, whose name translates as 'Moray eel lizard', Dr Noe concluded that the natural position of the neck was a downwards curve towards the sea-bed. The ability of the neck to flex in other dirctions was limited and the swan-like pose often seen in restorations of plesiosaurs (pictured) was impossible. Also impossible was the ability to raise the neck out of the water in an arc. The research was originally presented in 2004 at the 52nd Symposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, Leicester, England (see abstract), but was more recently presented This October (2006) at the 66th Annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, in Ottawa, Canada (abstract can be downloaded here). Incidentally, the findings have implications for the famous cryptid sometimes regarded as a plesiosaur, the Loch Ness Monster - the inability to raise the neck out of the water contrasts with reports of Nessie, and so constitutes evidence against a plesiosaur identity for any monster living in the loch.

Evidence from plesiosaur neck bones shows that this swan-like neck posture was impossible (this plesiosaur is Elasmosaurus).

The plesiosaur neck may have been used for sifting through the sea bed for soft animals such as worms and soft small crustaceans. The idea is backed up by other recent findings - namely the discovery of fossil stomach contents in a plesiosaur containing sea-shells as reported here last year (see news entry). Although the idea is appealing, Dr Noe states (personal communication) that this is probably only part of the story concerning the function of the long neck in plesiosaurs.

more here -

New Scientist - http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19225764.900-why-the-loch-ness-monster%20-is-no-plesiosaur.html

New 'monster' pliosaur amongst arctic plesiosaur fossil bounty (5/10/2006)

A total of 22 plesiosaurs have been discovered during an expedition to the Arctic island of Spitzbergen by the University of Oslo, Natural History Museum. The team led by Dr. Jørn Hurum and Hans Arne Nakrem also discovered ichthyosaurs - but the majority of the fossils await excavation when the team return next year. Most of the plesiosaurs belong to long-necked plesiosauroids, such as Kimmerosaurus (pictured), but in addition a large short-necked pliosaur, dubbed the 'Monster' was discovered, the snout tip of which was weathered out of the rock and collected (pictured). For more details visit the links below.

Left. A specimen of Kimmerosaurus under excavation - just one of the 22 plesiosaur specimens discovered. Right. The snout tip of the 'Monster' was collected, the area highlighted in red. Images © Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Norway

This story is also covered by the BBC -http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5403570.stm

by Yahoo http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061005/sc_afp/norwaypaleontology

and of course, by the university of Oslo, http://www.nhm.uio.no/pliosaurus/index.html

Thanks to Magne Høyberget for alerting me about this plesiosaur news.

The 'Plesiosaur Directory' recommended in Science journal's Netwatch (4/09/2006)

I am honoured and not a little surprised to see this very site appear in leading science journal, 'Science'. Every issue of the journal contains a section called 'Netwatch', featuring a crop of recommended online resources - the "best of the Web in Science". To see what 'Science' had to say about the 'Plesiosaur Directory' in the latest issue (1st September) (Vol 313, Issue 5791, P.1211), pop into any good newsagent or visit http://www.sciencemag.org/content/vol313/issue5791/netwatch.dtl

Thanks to everyone who has helped make this site a success. Adam

My research - an update- Dublin plesiosaur on the move (28/08/2006)

South Dublin City, 6.30am, Thursday the 10th of August - I clamber into the passenger seat of a 4X4 - destination London. My travelling companions are Colin in the drivers seat, and two suspiciously large boxes- a monster lurks inside - the skull of the Dublin plesiosaur. The plan is to transport the fossil plesiosaur known as Rhomaleosaurus cramptoni to the Palaeontological Conservation Unit of the Natural History Museum, London, where the skull (and eventually the rest of the skeleton) will receive preparation treatment. The impetus behind this project is twofold, firstly the specimen represents the holotype of the species, genus and family (Rhomaleosauridae) and so the resulting vital information will be incorporated into my Ph.D project studying the systematics of plesiosaurs. Secondly, the impressive specimen will form the future centrepiece in a museum exhibit in Dublin. In the days preceding our trip, all parts of the skull were labelled and safely boxed up in two well-padded and specially constructed crates, and packed into transport. After a very short drive to Dublin Port, and a ferry across the Irish sea to Holyhead, we continued to London and arrived at the gates of the Natural History Museum by 4.00pm, nine and a half hours after our departure. The specimen is under preparation as I write this...

Find out more about this specimen in my popular article, download the PDF here - Dublin's Jurassic Sea Dragon

Right - Upon its arrival in London. staff of the Palaeontological Conservation Unit in London transport the skull to the laborotory.

Packing and Transporting the Dublin Plesiosaur. Above - All of the parts of the skull of Rhomaleosaurus cramptoni were labelled to ease reconstruction upon arrival in London.

Above - The skull was packed into two specially constructed boxes, the front part of the skull and all the loose pieces were packed into the largest box, the smaller box contains the rear of the skull (photo by Matthew Parkes).

Plesiosaur to go on display in Scarborough (25/07/2006)

A four metre long plesiosaur from Yorkshire known as the 'Speeton Plesiosaur' after the place where it was discovered, is now fully prepared from the rock and ready to be displayed in the Rotunda Museum in Scarborough, once it opens in 2007. The specimen is unnamed but certainly represents a new species of long-necked plesiosaur. It was temporarily displayed at the University of Hull between the 26th and 28th July, but now awaits permanent display...

Dinocoast News story - http://www.dinocoast.org.uk/news.html

BBC news story - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/humber/5201326.stm

BBC video featuring Dinosaur Coast Officer Will Watts (I hope the link works) - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3681938.stm

Much more on the Speeton plesiosaur at Richard Forrest's plesiosaur site http://www.plesiosaur.com/plesiosaurs/speeton.php

New Plesiosaur Publications (25/07/2006)

In the past few months there has been a surge in publications regarding plesiosaurs. Most notably the new genus Umoonasaurus from Australia was descibed and named by Ben Kear et al. and the new genus Futabasaurus from China was described and named by Tamaki Sato et al.

Umoonasaurus is the name given to the opalised plesiosaur previosly known as 'Eric'

More on Umoonasaurus - http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060707_aquatic_reptile.html

More on Futabasaurus - http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1475-4983.2006.00554.x

My research - update - visit to the Plesiosaurus at the James Mitchel Museum, Galway, Ireland (11/04/2006)

I finally found the time to visit the James Mitchel Museum at the University of Galway, Ireland. The main plesiosaur in the museum is on display, mounted high on the wall at the far end of the museum (figured below). The fossil is from Lyme Regis and is identified as Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus. Most unstudied plesiosaurs such as this are labelled Plesiosaurus, which they are usually not - however, an examination of this skeleton confirmed the label as true for a change.

Plesiosaurus on display in the James Mitchel Museum, Galway, Ireland.

Submarines nearly named after plesiosaurs says Submarine Museum, Gosport (11/04/2006)

An exhibit in the Submarine Museum, Gosport, England, reveals how submarines might have been named after extinct marine reptiles. The Inspecting captain of Submarine proposed the idea in 1902 but the suggestion was quashed by superiors. Seems a shame to me!

The exhibit reads as follows (kindly transcribed by Simon. M. Clabby):

Bacon and Dinosaurs!!!

Captain Reginald Bacon was the inspecting Captain of Submarines in 1902. He was a keen palaeontologist and had invented the Royal Navy Submarine periscope. He was eager to give submarines names instead of numbers. All the names he suggested were of marine reptiles from the dinosaur era (which resembled giant lizards) because they lived underwater and some had large eyes for enhanced vision, just like a periscope.

On the right is a memorandum he wrote in 1902 putting forward his suggestions. Although his superiors were not keen on the suggested names, they did not immediately turn them down as nobody wanted to upset him. Eventually the 2nd Sea Lord took the decision not to name submarines. The 1st Sea Lord responded on the minute sheet "Thank Goodness for that".

The memorandum reads as follows:

"The submarines ...for launching on 9th... it would be
advisable to name this and future boats with a name
distinctive to each class as they may be built.
The names of the... reptiles appear suitable and
distinctive
The name Ichthyosaurus is particularly applicable to
this last fitted with an aptical corresponding to the
marvellous eye of the reptile..."

There follows a brief review of Plesiosaurus, Ichthyosaurus and Nothosaurus (figured below)

Part of the exhibit in the Submarine Museumm Gosport (photo by Simon. M. Clabby)

New plesiosaur mount unveiled at plesiosaur mini-symposium, Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Centre (16/03/2006)

The unveiling of a new plesiosaur mount formed the highlight of a Mini-Symposium dedicated to plesiosaurs, held at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Centre, USA, last month (February 25th). Five Speakers presented talks at the event, discussing their research into plesiosaurs in the USA (pictured below alongside the new mount). The plesiosaur on display was discovered in the Pierre Shale of Wyoming in the 1970's and has been identified as Dolichorhynchops bonneri (pictured below). However, there is a debate as to the identity of the postcranial material - maybe it is actually Polycotylus?

The five symposium speakers stand alongside the new plesiosaur mount. Left to right - Dr Glenn Storrs, Mike Everhart, the Dolichorhynchops, Bruce Schumaker, Mike Triebold (owner of the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Centre), Dr Ken Carpenter, Dr Larry Martin.

...and the whole plesiosaur. (both photographs courtecy of Anthony Maltese)

More here -

Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Centre, News letter - http://www.rmdrc.com/news/RMDRC_newsletter_0306.htm

Plesiosaur.com forum topic - http://www.plesiosaur.com/forum/index.php?topic=11.0

Lyme Regis plesiosaur sold at auction (9/01/2006)

The almost complete three-dimensional skeleton of a plesiosaur from the Lower Jurassic of Lyme Regis, the famous fossil-hunting spot in Dorset, England, sold at auction last December (2005) at a closing bid of £30000 (some web-sites report the figure as over 35000). The specimen was collected about 20 years ago and is estimated to be 3.5m long and has been identified as 'Dolichodeirus', a species (belonging to the genus Plesiosaurus), that is relatively common at this locality. Looking at the proportions, I'm not convinced by the identification, but the available pictures are too small and grainy to tell for sure - and as the buyer remains anonymous, it's harldy worth worrying over - the specimen is probably now lost to science anyway.

more here -

Pre-sale story (BBC) - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/4520378.stm

Lot information (with photos) - http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6582607206

and - http://www.bloomsbury-book-auct.com/news.php

Sold stories -http://www.paranormalmagazine.com/2005/12/fossils-of-nessie-sold-for-35000.html

My research - an update (9/0102006)

Happy new year!

2005 was hectic and has whizzed by. 'The Plesiosaur Directory' has finally been updated to a domain of its own (www.plesiosauria.com) - no more ads - many thanks to Richard Forrest of plesiosaur.com. But what of my research? Well for starters, the type specimen of Rhomaleosaurus cramptoni is to be prepared this year. The skull of the Dublin-specimen attributed to E. arcuatus has been excavated - the palate is partly preserved; and the skull of the specimen attributed to R. megacephalus is nearly prepared too. Outside of Dublin, I have visited a number of other specimens relative to my research. I travelled to northern England to study the holotypes of R. zetlandicus in the Yorkshire museum, and P. propinquus at Whitby Museum. I also spent a little time looking at the holotype or R. megacephalus at the New Walk Museum, Leicester, and at the rhomaleosaurid plesiosaur on display in Warwick Museum. Thanks to Synthesis, I was also able to visit the Geology museum in Copenhagen to investigate a number of plesiosaur specimens including the holottype of Cryptoclidus aldingeri - von Huene clearly made some major mistakes in his original description. I am also describing another important plesiosaur specimen from the Copenhagen collection, from the Upper Jurassic of Ellesmere island, in the Canadian Arctic. I hope 2006 will be just as productive...