Dianmeisaurus

Dianmeisaurus was very small, with a total body length of less than 50 centimetres (about 20 inches).3

It had 41 vertebrae in its neck and back before the hips, which is a lot for such a small reptile.3

Its eyes were very large compared to the openings behind them on the skull, helping it see in dim water.3

The space between its eyes was extremely narrow, a feature that helps scientists tell it apart from similar reptiles.21

Dianmeisaurus lived alongside two other small marine reptiles in the same ancient sea: Diandongosaurus and Dianopachysaurus.3

The second species, Dianmeisaurus mutaensis, was named in 2024 and its skeleton probably came from a young animal.1

Its front leg bones (the ulna) were wider at the top than at the bottom, which is unusual.3