The ocean would have been a scary place 200 million years ago. There were plenty of apex predators like the Shonisaurus, a 30-ton marine reptile with a beak like a dolphin. And Dakosaurus, a one-ton prehistoric crocodile that made both fish and pterosaurs fear for their lives. But among the most famous prehistoric marine reptiles was the Elasmosaur, with its long, sleek neck, mouth full of sharp teeth and enormous body. If you saw one barreling your direction, you’d be sure to change course.
These curious creatures looked like something out of a science fiction novel and they’ve long left scientists wondering how they took shape. But new research published in the journal Communications Biology may have some answers. Researchers suggest that their huge size and long necks seemed to evolve simultaneously because their enormous body size mitigated the drag that their long necks created in the water.
