[Paleontology • 2025] Traskasaura sandrae • A Name for the Provincial Fossil of British Columbia: A Strange New elasmosaur Taxon from the Santonian of Vancouver Island

 

Traskasaura sandrae

O’Keefe, Smith, Clark, Otero, Perella & Trask, 2025

DOI: doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2025.2489938 

Abstract

The first elasmosaurid skeleton from the Haslam Formation (Upper Santonian) of the Nanaimo Group (Late Cretaceous) on Vancouver Island was first described in 2002, and has recently been declared the Provincial Fossil of British Columbia. Since then, additional fossils have been recovered: an isolated right humerus and a well-preserved, osteologically immature skeleton comprising thorax, girdles and limbs. The Haslam material can now support further taxonomic assessment, and we erect the species Traskasaura sandrae based on it. Traskasaura possesses a strange mosaic of features. The mandible is plesiomorphic as seen in Libonectes: relatively narrow with large teeth and a broad symphysis. The skull therefore lacks any of the radical oral cavity adaptations seen in basal aristonectines. The neck of the Haslam animal is also plesiomorphic, with at least 36 preserved cervical vertebrae having vertebral length indices (VLIs) over 100 (the total number of cervicals is not known). The centra lack the anteroposterior compression and midline longitudinal constriction characteristic of derived aristonectines, yet the cervical ribs trend forward – a condition known only in derived aristonectines and Vegasaurus. The autapomorphic coracoid of Traskasaura differs greatly from any known elasmosaurid; the cardiform recess is reduced and posteriorly located, with some similarities to that of Aristonectes quiriquinensis. The humerus is autapomorphic, possessing a relatively straight shaft, pronounced ventral camber and an articular facet on the leading edge that makes a 90° angle with the radial facet. Taken together, these features document a new genus, with a plesiomorphic axial skeleton, but with several convergent appendicular adaptations with derived aristonectines. A revised phylogenetic analysis of Elasmosauridae recovered the new taxon in a basal position. Therefore, the postcranial adaptations shared with derived aristonectines appear to be convergent.

Keywords: elasmosaur, Haslam Formation, plesiosaur, Santonian

Sauropterygia Owen, Citation1860

Order Plesiosauria de Blainville, Citation1835

Family Elasmosauridae Cope, Citation1869

Traskasaura sandrae gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology: The genus is named in honour of Michael and Heather Trask, who discovered the holotype specimen along the banks of the Puntledge river in 1988, and the Greek word saûros, lizard; the Latin conjugation is feminine. The species name sandrae honours Sandra Lee O’Keefe (née Markey), Pacific Northwest native and, like Elizabeth Nicholls, a valiant warrior in the fight against breast cancer. In loving memory.

F. Robin O’Keefe, Elliott Armour Smith, Robert O. Clark, Rodrigo A. Otero, Anna Perella and Patrick Trask. 2025. A Name for the Provincial Fossil of British Columbia: A Strange New elasmosaur Taxon from the Santonian of Vancouver Island. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 23(1); 2489938. DOI: doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2025.2489938 [22 May 2025] 

[Paleontology • 2021] Fluvionectes sloanae • A New Elasmosaurid (Sauropterygia: Plesiosauria) from the non-marine to paralic Dinosaur Park Formation of southern Alberta, Canada

Fluvionectes sloanae 

Campbell​, Mitchell, Ryan & Anderson, 2021

DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10720

Abstract 

Elasmosaurid plesiosaurian remains have been documented from non-marine to paralic (fluvial to estuarine) sediments of the upper Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation (DPF) of southern Alberta since 1898. Despite this long collection history, this material has received relatively little research attention, largely due to the highly fragmentary nature of most recovered specimens. However, this assemblage is significant, as it constitutes a rare occurrence of plesiosaurian remains in a non-marine depositional environment. This study reports on a recently collected and prepared specimen, which represents the most complete elasmosaurid yet collected from the DPF. This specimen preserves the trunk region, the base of the neck and tail, a partial fore and hind limb, and tooth, and is sufficiently complete to be assigned as the holotype of a new genus and species. This new taxon is diagnosed by a distinctive character state combination including a boomerang-shaped clavicular arch with acute anterior process, convex anterolateral margin, deeply embayed posterior margin, and pronounced ventral keel, together with the presence of 22 dorsal vertebrae, and the anterior dorsal centra bearing a ventral notch. The DPF plesiosaurian fossils were recovered from both estuarine/bay and fluvial palaeochannel sediments. The holotype skeleton represents an osteologically mature individual with an estimated body length of around 5 m, although the largest referred DPF elasmosaurid might have been closer to 7 m, which is considerably larger than other plesiosaurians reported from non-marine deposits. This suggests small-body lengths relative to typical elasmosaurids from marine settings, but is consistent with other plesiosaurians recovered from non-marine sediments. The identification of a distinct elasmosaurid taxon in the DPF might be evidence of niche-partitioning among the predominantly oceanic members of the ubiquitous plesiosaurian clade.

Figure 1: Geographic locality and stratigraphic position of specimens of Fluvionectes sloanae, gen. et sp. nov.
 Holotype TMP 2009.037.0068/1990.046.0001/.0002 (1) and referred specimens TMP 2009.037.0007 (2), TMP 1979.008.0006/.0184/.0185 (3), TMP 1998.068.0082 (4), TMP 1980.031.0001/.0002 (5), CMN 304–309/312–314 (6), CMN 9895 (7), and CMN 51829 (8). (A) Locality of specimens in southern Alberta (red stars); (B) position of holotype and TMP 2009.037.0007 within the Dinosaur Park Formation (DPF; stratigraphic section redrawn and modified from Eberth & Hamblin (1993: fig. a5); grain size abbreviations – cl = clay, si = silt, f = fine sand); (C) photograph of holotype quarry during excavation, with pedestaled specimen indicated by arrow (photograph courtesy of the TMP), and approximate area where TMP 2009.037.0007 was collected (arrow); and (D) generalized stratigraphic relationships of the DPF and Oldman Formation between DPP and Onefour, Alberta, their depositional environments, and stratigraphic positions of specimens (modified from Eberth & Hamblin (1993: fig. 19a) and Eberth (2005: fig. 3.1)). Note that the holotype and TMP 2009.037.0007 were collected from an estuarine environment, whereas TMP 1979.008.0006/.0184/.0185, TMP 1998.068.0082, and TMP 1980.031.0001/.0002 were collected from fluvial palaeochannel deposits.

Systematic Palaeontology

Sauropterygia Owen, 1860

Plesiosauria De Blainville, 1835

Elasmosauridae Cope, 1869

Fluvionectes gen. nov.

 

Fluvionectes sloanae sp. nov.

 

Holotype: TMP 2009.037.0068/1990.046.0001/.0002, partial skeleton consisting of a tooth, posterior cervical vertebral series, the complete pectoral, dorsal, and sacral vertebral series, the anterior half of the caudal vertebral series, ribs, gastralia, partial pectoral and pelvic girdles, and a partial fore and hind limb.

Type locality and horizon: Sage Creek Provincial Grazing Reserve, near Onefour, Alberta. Precise locality data on file at the TMP. TMP 1990.046.0001, TMP 1990.046.0002, and TMP 2009.037.0068 all derive from a stratum immediately overlying the basalmost coal bed of the Lethbridge Coal Zone in the Dinosaur Park Formation (DPF), upper Campanian, Upper Cretaceous.

Etymology: The genus name is derived from “fluvius”, the Latin word for river, and “nectes”, the Latinized Greek word (nektes) for swimmer (gender; masculine). We are aware that the connecting vowel “o” is inappropriate, but this is a deliberate choice on our part as we prefer this spelling and pronunciation. This is not an inadvertent error and, therefore, does not require subsequent correction according to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, 1999: art. 32.5). The species name honours Donna Sloan who discovered the holotype, and for her long service to palaeontology, both in the field and as the scientific illustrator at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology (gender; feminine).

Diagnosis: Elasmosaurid possessing a boomerang-shaped clavicular arch with an acute anterior process, convex anterolateral margin, posterior margin with a deep embayment on either side, and a pronounced ventral keel, 22 dorsal vertebrae, and anterior dorsal centra with a ventral notch. Other manifest character states include: posterior cervical vertebra with high dorsoventral aspect; three pectoral vertebrae; five sacral vertebrae; scapula with an elongate dorsal ramus; coracoid with an open (non-enclosed) cordiform intercoracoid fenestra; pubis with an anterolateral embayment; and a postaxial supernumerary epipodial facet on the humerus.

Figure 2: Quarry map and reconstruction of holotype of Fluvionectes sloanae, gen. et sp. nov.
 Map (A) is of jacketed specimen and is upside down in relation to how the specimen was found in the field. Rose diagram of elongate skeletal elements (n = 50) shown in bottom left. Grey = gastroliths, “t” = turtle shell fragments, white = unidentifiable elements. The elements had a non-significant mean resultant trend of 92.3°/272.3° (A); 95% confidence interval for mean = 347.6°–197.0°; circular variance = 0.473; Rayleigh Test–Z = 0.144, p = 0.866; Rao’s Spacing Test–U = 134.941, 0.50 > p > 0.10; Watson’s U2 Test–U2 = 0.053, p > 0.5; Kuiper’s Test–V = 1.073, p > 0.15. Dorsal view of specimen (B) and specimen with estimated body outline (C).

    

Figure 14: Life reconstruction of Fluvionectes sloanae, gen. et sp. nov.

 Artwork by Andrea Elena Noriega (andreaelena.com).

James A. Campbell​, Mark T. Mitchell, Michael J. Ryan and Jason S. Anderson. 2021. A New Elasmosaurid (Sauropterygia: Plesiosauria) from the non-marine to paralic Dinosaur Park Formation of southern Alberta, Canada. PeerJ. 9:e10720. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10720

    

 

[Paleontology • 2020] Jucha squalea • A New Elasmosaurid Plesiosaurian from the Early Cretaceous of Russia marks An early Attempt at Neck Elongation

Jucha squalea 

Fischer, Zverkov, Arkhangelsky, Stenshin, Blagovetshensky & Uspensky, 2020

DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa103 

 twitter.com/Val_Fisch 

Illustration: Andrey Atuchin 

 

Abstract

Plesiosaurian marine reptiles evolved a wide range of body shapes during the Jurassic and Cretaceous, including long-necked forms. Many Late Cretaceous members of the clade Elasmosauridae epitomized this part of the plesiosaurian morphological spectrum by evolving extremely long necks through somitogenesis (resulting in an increase in the number of cervical centra) and differential growth (resulting in the elongation of cervical centra). However, the early evolution of elasmosaurids remains poorly understood because of a generally poor Lower Cretaceous fossil record. We describe a new elasmosaurid, Jucha squalea gen. et sp. nov., from the upper Hauterivian (Lower Cretaceous) of Ulyanovsk (European Russia), in addition to other elasmosaurid remains from the same area. Jucha squalea is one of the oldest and basalmost elasmosaurids known and lacks a series of features that otherwise characterize the group, such as the heart-shaped intercoracoid fenestra and the median pectoral bar. However, Jucha squalea marks an early attempt at cervical elongation through differential growth. The data we gathered on the shape of cervical centra among elasmosaurids suggest multiple episodes of elongation and shortening. However, the precise patterns are obscured by an unstable phylogenetic signal.

Keywords: cervical elongation, differential growth, Hauterivian, marine reptiles, Xenopsaria

   

Valentin Fischer, Nikolay G. Zverkov, Maxim S. Arkhangelsky, Ilya M. Stenshin, Ivan V. Blagovetshensky and Gleb N. Uspensky. 2020. A New Elasmosaurid Plesiosaurian from the Early Cretaceous of Russia marks An early Attempt at Neck Elongation. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. zlaa103.  DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa103

  twitter.com/Val_Fisch/status/1317043841854308352  

facebook.com/ValFisch/posts/10221501825227513

facebook.com/undorymuseum/posts/693236728281671

ulpressa.ru/2020/10/19/эласмозавр-из-ундоровского-палеонто

 

   

[Paleontology • 2017] Cranial Anatomy of Morturneria seymourensis from Antarctica, and the Evolution of Filter Feeding in Plesiosaurs of the Austral Late Cretaceous

Morturneria seymourensis Chatterjee & Creisler, 1994

O'Keefe, Otero, Soto-Acuña, O'gorman, Godfrey & Chatterjee, 2017.
Cranial Anatomy of Morturneria seymourensis ...

 DOI:  10.1080/02724634.2017.1347570 

ABSTRACT

This paper redescribes the holotype skull of the aristonectine elasmosaur Morturneria seymourensis from the upper Maastrichtian of Seymour Island, Antarctica. This description supports the validity of the genus Morturneria, distinct from the genus Aristonectes from Chile and Argentina. The paroccipital process of Morturneria is plesiomorphic, similar to Alexandronectes and unlike the autapomorphic occiput of Aristonectes. The palate of Morturneria is autapomorphic in possessing a strongly developed midline keel. The cranium of Morturneria is about 60% complete and preserves the anterior skull roof and palate; both regions were previously unknown in any aristonectine. The combination of the Morturneria holotype and recent research on other aristonectines allows the first confident cranial reconstruction of an aristonectine elasmosaur. The cranial anatomy of both Morturneria and its close relatives is derived relative to all other plesiosaurs, possessing a novel suite of dental and oral cavity adaptions. The suspensorium extends far behind the occipital condyle, and the jaw is long and hoop-like; together these features allowed a large gape and oral cavity volume. The palate of Morturneria is strongly keeled, forming arched lateral oral chambers that further increased oral cavity volume. The dentition of Morturneria is similar to that of Aristonectes, and all share autapomorphic interlocking combs of needle-like teeth that occluded outside the mouth and did not meet tip to tip. The upper and lower dentition formed an oral battery that may have functioned like a sieve in straining food particles from substrate ejected from the oral cavity. We theorize that this highly derived suite of adaptations is convergent with extant gray whales and archaic mysticetes and hypothesize that it functioned similarly in sieve feeding following suction. This is the first identification of whale-like filter feeding in any marine reptile, a condition once claimed to be anatomically impossible.

F. Robin O'Keefe, Rodrigo A. Otero, Sergio Soto-Acuña, Jose P. O'gorman, Stephen J. Godfrey and Sankar Chatterjee. 2017. Cranial Anatomy of Morturneria seymourensis from Antarctica, and the Evolution of Filter Feeding in Plesiosaurs of the Austral Late Cretaceous.   Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI:  10.1080/02724634.2017.1347570

Plesiosaur fossil found 33 years ago yields new convergent evolution findings http://phy.so/423466634 via @physorg_com

  

[Paleontology • 2017] Redescription of the Elasmosaurid Plesiosaurian Libonectes atlasense from the Upper Cretaceous of Morocco

Sachs & Kear, 2017. Redescription of Libonectes atlasense    DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2017.02.017 

Illustration by Hyrotrioskjan   hyrotrioskjan.deviantart.com

Highlights

• The Late Cretaceous elasmosaurid species Libonectes atlasense and Libonectes morgani are likely synonymous.

• Fossils assigned to Libonectes morgani collectively constitute one of the best-known Elasmosaurid taxa.

• The palaeogeographical distribution of Libonectes morgani evidences trans-Atlantic dispersal amongst multiple Late Cretaceous plesiosaurian clades.

Abstract

The holotype of Libonectes atlasense is an almost complete skeleton from Upper Cretaceous (mid-Turonian) rocks of the Goulmima area in eastern Morocco. Initial assessment of this specimen in 2005 proposed generic referral based on stratigraphical contemporaneity with Libonectes morgani from the Cenomanian–Turonian of Texas, U.S.A. Nevertheless, relative differences in the profile of the premaxillary-maxillary tooth row, position of the external bony nasal opening, number of teeth and rostral inclination of the mandibular symphysis, proportions of the axial neural arch, and number of cervical and pectoral vertebrae were used to distinguish between these species. As part of an on-going comparative appraisal of elasmosaurid plesiosaurian osteo-anatomy, we re-examined the type and formally referred material of both L. atlasense and L. morgani in order to establish species validity, as well as compile a comparative atlas for use in future works. Our inspections revealed that these reportedly distinct species-level fossils are in fact virtually indistinguishable in gross morphology. Indeed, the only substantial difference occurs in relative prominence of the midline keel along the mandibular symphysis, which might be explained by intraspecific variation. Furthermore, our observations permit an amendment to the published generic diagnosis of Libonectes with the confirmation of important states such as the likely presence of a pectoral bar, distocaudal expansion of the humerus, and an epipodial foramen. In addition, novel features include a prominent ‘prong-like’ ventral midline process on the coracoids, and the development of a median pelvic bar that encloses a central fenestration. The composite remains of L. morgani thus constitute one of the most complete elasmosaurid skeletal hypodigms documented worldwide, and evidence a trans-Atlantic distribution for this apparently dispersive species during the early–Late Cretaceous.

Libonectes

Illustration by Hyrotrioskjan   hyrotrioskjan.deviantart.com 

Sven Sachs and Benjamin P. Kear. 2017. Redescription of the Elasmosaurid Plesiosaurian Libonectes atlasense from the Upper Cretaceous of Morocco. Cretaceous Research.  74; 205–222.   DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2017.02.017

http://hyrotrioskjan.deviantart.com/art/Libonectes-666547944

[Paleontology • 2017] Nakonanectes bradti • A New Elasmosaurid (Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria) from the Bearpaw Shale (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian) of Montana Demonstrates Multiple Evolutionary Reductions of Neck Length within Elasmosauridae

Nakonanectes bradti 

Serratos, Druckenmiller, & Benson, 2017 

 DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1278608

news.UAF.edu || facebook.com/AlaskaPaleoProject 

ABSTRACT

Plesiosauria is a diverse clade of marine reptiles that have been studied since the early 19th century. However, phylogenetic relationships within the group have been contentious due to limited taxon sampling and a misunderstanding of how ontogeny and interspecific and intraspecific variation affect character states. This is particularly true for elasmosaurids, a Cretaceous clade of long-necked plesiosaurians. In 2010, a new, nearly complete skeleton, MOR 3072, was collected from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian) Bearpaw Shale of northeast Montana. The specimen provides detailed morphological information rarely observed within Elasmosauridae, including a complete skull, the anterior 23 cervical vertebrae, a partial dorsal and caudal vertebral column, incomplete pectoral and pelvic girdles, elements of both fore- and hind limbs, ribs, and gastralia. Being early Maastrichtian in age, MOR 3072 is the stratigraphically youngest elasmosaurid known from the Western Interior Seaway and is recognized as a new genus and species, Nakonanectes bradti. We present a description of Nakonanectes bradti and conduct an extended phylogenetic analysis of Elasmosauridae. N. bradti is found to be deeply nested within the clade of large-bodied, long-necked, Western Interior Styxosaurinae. However, MOR 3072 is one of the smallest adult elasmosaurids ever recovered (5.1–5.6 m) and exhibits a reduced neck length compared with other North American elasmosaurids, resulting from a reduction in both centrum length and number of cervical vertebrae (39–42 were originally present). These features are convergent with the Southern Hemisphere clade of short-necked Maastrichtian elasmosaurids, Aristonectinae, and demonstrate multiple origins of short-necked body proportions from longer-necked ancestors within Elasmosauridae.

The newly named short-necked elasmosaur, Nakonanectes bradti, swims through an ancient sea in this artist’s reconstruction.

Illustration by James Havens, @alaskapaleoproject

 

Laser Scan of Cranium of MOR 3072, holotype specimen of Nakonanectes bradti, gen. et sp. nov.   

SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY

DIAPSIDA Osborn, 1903

SAUROPTERYGIA Owen, 1860

PLESIOSAURIA de Blainville, 1835

XENOPSARIA Benson and Druckenmiller, 2014

ELASMOSAURIDAE Cope, 1869

STYXOSAURINAE Otero, 2016

Phylogenetic Definition:— The clade including all taxa more closely related to Styxosaurus snowii than to Aristonectes parvidens (revised from Otero, 2016).

NAKONANECTES, gen. nov.

Type and Only Species:— Nakonanectes bradti.

Horizon:— Bearpaw Shale, lower Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous.

NAKONANECTES BRADTI, gen. et sp. nov. 

Holotype and Only Specimen:— MOR 3072, including a complete skull, articulated anterior 23 cervical vertebrae, dorsal and anterior caudal vertebrae, partial coracoids, much of the forelimbs including partial humeri, complete epipodial and mesopodial rows and associated phalanges, both ilia and portions of the pubis and ischium, portions of the hind limb including one complete and one partial femur with portions of the epipodial row, and numerous ribs and gastralia.

Etymology:— The generic name is derived from Nakona, the name for native Assiniboine people of northeastern Montana, which means ‘the friendly people.’ The specific name honors David Bradt of Florence, Montana, who found the specimen.

Nakonanectes bradti Serratos, Druckenmiller, & Benson, 2017

  DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1278608  

Serratos, D. J., P. Druckenmiller, and R. B. J. Benson. 2017. A New Elasmosaurid (Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria) from the Bearpaw Shale (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian) of Montana Demonstrates Multiple Evolutionary Reductions of Neck Length within Elasmosauridae. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1278608.

Alaska scientists help name new elasmosaur species from Montana - UAF News and Information http://news.uaf.edu/alaska-scientists-help-name-new-elasmosaur-species-from-montana/

[Paleontology • 2015] Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (Lower Maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and Remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae

Vegasaurus molyi 

O'Gorman, Salgado, Olivero & Marenssi, 2015  

 DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2014.931285 

ABSTRACT

A new elasmosaurid, Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov., from Vega Island, James Ross Archipelago, Antarctica, is described. The holotype and only specimen of this species (MLP 93-I-5-1) was collected from the lower Maastrichtian Cape Lamb Member of the Snow Hill Island Formation. Vegasaurus molyi is the only Antarctic elasmosaurid and one of only a few Late Cretaceous elasmosaurids from the Southern Hemisphere whose postcranial anatomy is well known. Vegasaurus molyi is distinguished from other elasmosaurids by the following combination of characters: cervical region with 54 vertebrae with elongated centra, dumbbell-shaped articular faces and lateral ridge present in the anterior and middle parts of the neck but absent in the posterior-most cervical vertebrae; scapula with ventral ramus bearing a strong ridge in the anteromedial corner of its dorsal surface; ilium shaft with expanded distal end, divided into two parts forming an angle of 140 opening anteriorly; and humerus with anterior knee and prominent posterior projection with accessory posterior articular facet. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis places V. molyi within a clade that includes the Late Cretaceous Wedellian aristonectine elasmosaurids, Aristonectes and Kaiwhekea. This indicates a close relationship between Aristonectinae and non-Aristonectinae Late Cretaceous Weddellian elasmosaurids and suggests a Weddellian origin for the Aristonectinae

José Patricio O'Gorman, Leonardo Salgado, Eduardo B. Olivero and Sergio A. Marenssi. 2015. Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (Lower Maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and Remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae.
  Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 35(3); e931285.  DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2014.931285

ResearchGate.net/publication/277558187_Vegasaurus_molyi_gen._et_sp._nov._(Plesiosauria_Elasmosauridae)_from_the_Cape_Lamb_Member_(lower_Maastrichtian)_of_the_Snow_Hill_Island_Formation_Vega_Island_Antarctica_and_remarks_on_Wedellian_Elasmosauridae

Hallan una nueva especie de plesiosaurio en la Antártida

La nueva especie de plesiosaurio, bautizada como Vegasaurus molyi, vivió hace aproximadamente 70 millones de años y alcanzó los 6,7 metros de longitud. Sus restos se encontraron en la Isla Vega y, tras arduas tareas de rescate, se obtuvo su esqueleto casi completo.

   ctys.com.ar/index.php?idPage=20&idArticulo=3139

 diarioelpeso.com/anteriores/2015/10072015/CMT_100715_NuevaEspeciePlesiosaurioAntartida.php