Fluvionectes

Fluvionectes is one of the few plesiosaurs found in non-marine rocks, meaning it lived in rivers and estuaries, not the open ocean.1

The holotype skeleton was found disarticulated, scattered over an area of about 2.5 square metres, with only two rib bones still connected.1

Fluvionectes had 22 dorsal vertebrae, which is a unique feature that helps scientists identify it as a new species.1

The name Fluvionectes comes from Latin and Greek words meaning 'river swimmer', because it lived in rivers.1

The species name sloanae honours Donna Sloan, who discovered the holotype and worked as a scientific illustrator at the Royal Tyrrell Museum.1

Fluvionectes was smaller than many other elasmosaurids that lived in the ocean, which might be because it lived in rivers.1