❃ Plesiosaurus was a large, long-necked marine reptile that lived during the early to late Jurassic Period. Its name means "near lizard", derived from the Greek prefix plesio-, meaning "near" or "close to", and –saurus, meaning "lizard".
❃ It was one of the first prehistoric animals to be depicted in popular culture, and has been featured in films, television shows, books, and video games. It is often wrongly assumed to have been a dinosaur, but it was actually a member of a different group of reptiles known as the plesiosaurs.
❃ They a carnivore, and its diet probably consisted of fish, squid, and other small marine animals. Plesiosaurus probably hunted by swimming after its prey and then grabbing it with its sharp teeth.