恐龍卡第 1455 張，共 2 027 張

Plotosaurus

名字的意思： “swimmer lizard”1

吃：肉滄龍類白堊紀晚期嚴格來說不是恐龍

Plotosaurus was a giant marine lizard that swam in the oceans during the time of the dinosaurs. It was one of the fastest and most advanced swimmers among all mosasaurs, with a sleek body and powerful tail.1

趣味小知識：這種海生爬蟲類在海裡游泳的時候，恐龍正在陸地上走路。大家都叫牠們恐龍，但牠們其實是爬蟲類的另一個分支。

生存年代

84 到 66 百萬年前3

白堊紀晚期

化石發現地

California, USA; also possible fossils in Japan and Chile1 2

長度

4.2 m (14 ft)1

最高速度

時速約 36 公里（22 英里）

游泳, 估計值

牠生活在什麼時候？

三疊紀

侏羅紀

白堊紀

2 億 5200 萬年前20114566，小行星撞地球

牠有多大？

牠有多長？

跟 4 隻狗從鼻子接到尾巴一樣長跟 23 根香蕉頭尾相接一樣長能在 5 秒內游完一座大泳池（50 公尺）

Plotosaurus 跟「你」比起來有多大？

只是在你的瀏覽器裡算算數學。什麼都不會被儲存或傳送出去。

牠有多快？

走路的人 時速約 5 公里 (3 mph)

騎腳踏車的小朋友 時速約 12 公里 (7 mph)

Plotosaurus 時速約 36 公里 (22 mph)

一匹飛奔的馬 時速約 65 公里 (40 mph)

一隻獵豹 時速約 100 公里 (62 mph)

酷東西

趣味知識

Plotosaurus had a streamlined body and narrow flippers, making it look a bit like a modern dolphin or an ichthyosaur.1

Some of its tail vertebrae were fused together, which helped it swim more efficiently.1

It had large eyes, so it probably had excellent vision for spotting prey.1

Plotosaurus was one of the most advanced mosasaurs, with the highest level of aquatic adaptations in its family.1

Fossils of Plotosaurus have been found in Japan, suggesting it lived in the Pacific Ocean on both sides.2

The first fossils were discovered by a high school student named Allan Bennison in California in 1936.1

Plotosaurus 的 AI 繪圖 — 這是電腦根據科學家目前的知識，用 AI 畫出 Plotosaurus 可能的樣子。這只是猜測：真正的動物可能長得不一樣，也沒有人知道牠真正的顏色。

你們都在問

關於 Plotosaurus 最常被問的問題

?How big was Plotosaurus?

An immature Plotosaurus with a 46 cm skull was about 4.2 metres (14 feet) long. Adults with a 1 metre skull would have been larger.1

?Was Plotosaurus a dinosaur?

No, Plotosaurus was a mosasaur, which is a type of marine lizard that lived during the time of dinosaurs. It was not a dinosaur.1

?What did Plotosaurus eat?

Plotosaurus was a fast, pursuit predator that likely ambushed fish and other marine animals. Its large eyes gave it keen eyesight for spotting prey.1

?How fast could Plotosaurus swim?

Plotosaurus was one of the fastest mosasaurs, thanks to its streamlined body, narrow flippers, and a tail fin similar to ichthyosaurs.1

給恐龍專家

學名: Plotosaurus
命名者: Camp 19513
類群: 滄龍類
科 / 演化支: Mosasauridae3
分類: Mosasauroidea3
岩石的年代: 84 到 66 百萬年 (Campanian / Maastrichtian)3
岩層: Moreno, Isoai, Hiraiso3
國家: 美國, 日本, 智利3
化石紀錄: The Paleobiology Database 收錄 9 筆3
發現: Plotosaurus was first named Kolposaurus in 1942 by paleontologist Charles Lewis Camp, but he changed it to Plotosaurus in 1951 because the name was already taken. The fossils were found in California by a student and others.1
仍有爭議: Scientists are not sure if Plotosaurus lived only in North America or also in other parts of the Pacific, because some fossils from Japan and Chile might belong to this genus.1 2