Pistosaurus

Pistosaurus is often mistaken for Nothosaurus or plesiosaurs, but it is a close relative of plesiosaurs from the Triassic.1

Its backbone was stiff like a plesiosaur's, so it used its paddle-like flippers to push itself through the water.1

The skull of Pistosaurus had a long, slender snout and small splint-like nasal bones that were not part of the nostril opening.1

Bone studies show that Pistosaurus had dense, heavy bones in its arms, which helped it sink and swim underwater.1

Scientists think Pistosaurus used a swimming style called 'subaquatic flying', where both left and right flippers beat together at the same time.1

Fossil evidence of decompression sickness (like the bends) in Pistosaurus forelimbs suggests it lived in open, cold marine waters.1