Graphical timeline of plesiosaurs

Timeline

Taxa

Taxon	First Appearance Datum	Last Appearance Datum	Previous Estimates	Image
Abyssosaurus nataliae	Late Hauterivian[1]	Late Hauterivian[1]	Late Hauterivian[1]
Albertonectes vanderveldei	Late Campanian[2]	Late Campanian[2]	Late Campanian[2]	Life restoration of Albertonectes vanderveldei
Alexandronectes zealandiensis	Early Maastrichtian[3]	Early Maastrichtian[3]	Early Maastrichtian[3]
Alexeyisaurus karnoushenkoi	Early-Middle Norian[4]	Early-Middle Norian[4]	Early-Middle Norian[4]
Aphrosaurus furlongi	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]
Aristonectes parvidens	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]	Life restoration of Aristonectes parvidens
Aristonectes quiriquinensis	Late Maastrichtian[6]	Late Maastrichtian[6]	Late Maastrichtian[6]	Life restoration of Aristonectes quiriquinensis
Attenborosaurus conybeari	Sinemurian[5]	Sinemurian[5]	Sinemurian[5]	Life restoration of Attenborosaurus conybeari
Cardiocorax mukulu	Early Maastrichtian[7]	Early Maastrichtian[7]	Early Maastrichtian[7]
Dolichorhynchops herschelensis	Late Campanian-Early Maastrichtian[8]	Late Campanian-Early Maastrichtian[8]	Campanian-Maastrichtian,[5] Late Campanian-Early Maastrichtian[8]
Scalamagnus tropicensis	Turonian[9]	Turonian[9]	Turonian[9]
Edgarosaurus muddi	Late Albian[10]	Late Albian[10]	Albian,[11] Late Albian[10]	Life restoration of Edgarosaurus muddi
Eromangasaurus australis	Albian[11]	Albian[11]	Albian[11]	Life restoration of Eromangasaurus australis
Manemergus anguirostris	Early Turonian[10]	Early Turonian[10]	Maastrichtian,[11] Early Turonian[10]	Fossil skeleton of Manemergus anguirostris
Nichollssaura borealis	Early Albian[12]	Early Albian[12]	Early Albian[12]	Life restoration of two Nichollssaura borealis
Pahasapasaurus haasi	Cenomanian[13]	Cenomanian[13]	Cenomanian[13]
Plesiopleurodon wellesi	Earliest Cenomanian[14]	Earliest Cenomanian[14]	Cenomanian,[11] Earliest Cenomanian[14]	Life restoration of Plesiopleurodon wellesi
Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus	Late Sinemurian[12]	Late Sinemurian[12]	Sinemurian,[5] Late Sinemurian[12]	Life restoration of Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus
Plesiosaurus macrocephalus	Sinemurian[5]	Sinemurian[5]	Sinemurian[5]
Plesiosaurus longirostris	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Skeletal mount of Hauffiosaurus longirostris
Pliosaurus brachydeirus	Early Kimmeridgian[15]	Early Kimmeridgian[15]	Kimmeridgian,[5] Early Kimmeridgian[15]	Life restoration of Pliosaurus brachydeirus
Pliosaurus portentificus	Kimmeridgian[5]	Kimmeridgian[5]	Kimmeridgian[5]
Pliosaurus brachyspondylus	Kimmeridgian[5]	Kimmeridgian[5]
Pliosaurus irgisensis	Tithonian[5]	Tithonian[5]	Tithonian[5]
Pliosaurus macromerus	Callovian-Tithonian[5]	Callovian-Tithonian[5]	Callovian-Tithonian[5]	Lower jaw of Pliosaurus macromerus with restorative model.
Pliosaurus andrewsi	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]
Polyptychodon interruptus	Turonian-Santonian[5]	Turonian-Santonian[5]	Turonian-Santonian[5]	Life restoration of Polyptychodon interruptus
Elasmosaurus platyurus	Campanian[5]	Campanian[5]	Campanian[5]	Life restoration of two Elasmosaurus platyurus
Polycotylus latipinnis	Santonian-Campanian[16]	Santonian-Campanian[16]	Santonian,[5] Santonian-Campanian[16]	Life restoration of a Polycotylus latipinnis giving birth
Liopleurodon rossicus	Tithonian[5]	Tithonian[5]	Tithonian[5]	Life restoration of Pliosaurus rossicus -->
Liopleurodon pachydeirus	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]
Liopleurodon ferox	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]
Callawayasaurus colombiensis	Aptian[11]	Aptian[11]	Aptian[11]	Skull of Callawayasaurus colombiensis
Kronosaurus boyacensis	Aptian-Albian[5]	Aptian-Albian[5]	Aptian-Albian[5]	Life restoration of Kronosaurus boyacensis
Opallionectes andamookaensis	Aptian-Albian[11]	Aptian-Albian[11]	Aptian-Albian[11]
Kronosaurus queenslandicus	Aptian-Albian[5]	Aptian-Albian[5]	Aptian-Albian[5]	Life restoration of Kronosaurus queenslandicus
Umoonasaurus demoscyllus	Aptian-Albian[11]	Aptian-Albian[11]	Aptian-Albian[11]	Life restoration of Umoonasaurus demoscyllus
Simolestes keileni	Bajocian[5]	Bajocian[5]	Bajocian[5]
Maresaurus coccai	Bajocian[11]	Bajocian[11]	Bajocian[11]
Leptocleidus superstes	Barremian[5]	Barremian[5]	Barremian[5]	Bones of Leptocleidus superstes
Yuzhoupliosaurus chengjiangensis	Bathonian[11]	Bathonian[11]	Bathonian[11]
Brancasaurus brancai	Berriasian[5]	Berriasian[5]	Berriasian[5]	Skeleton of Brancasaurus brancai
Muraenosaurus leedsi	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Life restoration of Muraenosaurus leedsi
Cryptoclidus richardsoni	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]
Tricleidus seeleyi	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Bones of Tricleidus seeleyi
Vinialesaurus caroli	Callovian[11]	Callovian[11]	Callovian[11]
Muraenosaurus beloclis	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]
Peloneustes philarchus	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Life restoration of Peloneustes philarchus
Cryptoclidus eurymerus	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Life restoration of Cryptoclidus eurymerus
Simolestes vorax	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Callovian[5]	Life restoration of Simolestes vorax
Pachycostasaurus dawni	Callovian[11]	Callovian[11]	Callovian[11]
Terminonatator ponteixensis	Campanian[11]	Campanian[11]	Campanian[11]
Mauisaurus haasti	Campanian[5]	Campanian[5]	Campanian[5]	Life restoration of Mauisaurus haasti
Dolichorhynchops osborni	Santonian-Campanian[17]	Santonian-Campanian[17]	Campanian,[5] Santonian-Campanian[17]
Martinectes bonneri	Early Campanian[8]	Early Campanian[8]	Early Campanian[8]	Skeletal mount of Martinectes bonneri
Tuarangisaurus keysei	Campanian-Maastrichtian[11]	Campanian-Maastrichtian[11]	Campanian-Maastrichtian[11]	Skeleton of Tuarangisaurus keysei
Thalassomedon haningtoni	Cenomanian[5]	Cenomanian[5]	Cenomanian[5]	Life restoration of Thalassomedon haningtoni
Brachauchenius lucasi	Cenomanian-Turonian[5]	Cenomanian-Turonian[5]	Cenomanian-Turonian[5]	Life restoration of Brachauchenius lucasi
Leptocleidus clemai	Hauterivian-Barremian[5]	Hauterivian-Barremian[5]	Hauterivian-Barremian[5]
Thalassiodracon hawkinsii	Rhaetian-Hettangian[18]	Rhaetian-Hettangian[18]	Hettangian,[11] Rhaetian-Hettangian[18]	Life restoration of Thalassiodracon hawkinsii
Rhomaleosaurus megacephalus	Hettangian[5]	Hettangian[5]	Hettangian[5]	Life restoration of Rhomaleosaurus megacephalus
Eurycleidus arcuatus	Hettangian[5]	Hettangian[5]	Hettangian[5]
Macroplata tenuiceps	Hettangian[5]	Hettangian[5]	Hettangian[5]	Life restoration of Macroplata tenuiceps
Kimmerosaurus langhami	Kimmeridgian[5]	Kimmeridgian[5]	Kimmeridgian[5]
Bathyspondylus swindoniensis	Kimmeridgian[11]	Kimmeridgian[11]	Kimmeridgian[11]
Megalneusaurus rex	Kimmeridgian-Portlandian[5]	Kimmeridgian-Portlandian[5]	Kimmeridgian-Portlandian[5]	Life restoration of Megalneusaurus rex
Colymbosaurus trochanterius	Kimmeridgian-Tithonian[5]	Kimmeridgian-Tithonian[5]	Kimmeridgian-Tithonian[5]	Sacral vertebra] of Colymbosaurus trochanterius
Sinopliosaurus weiyuanensis	Kimmeridgian?[11]	Kimmeridgian?[11]	Kimmeridgian?[11]
Fresnosaurus drescheri	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]
Kaiwhekea katiki	Maastrichtian[11]	Maastrichtian[11]	Maastrichtian[11]	Life restoration of Kaiwhekea katiki
Leurospondylus ultimus	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]	Spine of Leurospondylus ultimus
Morenosaurus stocki	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]
Hydrotherosaurus alexandrae	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]	Maastrichtian[5]
Thililua longicollis	Early Turonian[10]	Early Turonian[10]	Maastrichtian,[11] Early Turonian[10]	Life restoration of Sulcusuchus erraini
Sulcusuchus erraini	"Campanian/Maastrichtian"[19]	"Campanian/Maastrichtian"[19]	Maastrichtian,[11] "Campanian/Maastrichtian"[19]
Tatenectes laramiensis	Oxfordian[11]	Oxfordian[11]	Oxfordian[11]
Pantosaurus striatus	Oxfordian[11]	Oxfordian[11]	Oxfordian[11]
Futabasaurus suzukii	Santonian[11]	Santonian[11]	Santonian[11]	Life restoration of Futabasaurus suzukii
Georgiasaurus penzensis	Santonian[5]	Santonian[5]	Santonian[5]
Styxosaurus snowii	Santonian-Campanian[5]	Santonian-Campanian[5]	Santonian-Campanian[5]	Life restoration of Styxosaurus snowii
Hydralmosaurus serpentinus	Santonian-Campanian[5]	Santonian-Campanian[5]	Santonian-Campanian[5]
Archaeonectrus rostratus	Sinemurian[5]	Sinemurian[5]	Sinemurian[5]	Fossil of Archaeonectrus rostratus
Eretmosaurus rugosus	Sinemurian[5]	Sinemurian[5]	Sinemurian[5]	Fossil of Eretmosaurus rugosus
Simolestes indicus	Tithonian[5]	Tithonian[5]	Tithonian[5]
Rhomaleosaurus cramptoni	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Life restoration of Rhomaleosaurus cramptoni
Rhomaleosaurus victor
Bishanopliosaurus youngi	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Life restoration of Bishanopliosaurus youngi
Occitanosaurus tournemirensis	Toarcian[11]	Toarcian[11]	Toarcian[11]
Hydrorion brachypterygius	Toarcian[11]	Toarcian[11]	Toarcian[11]	Life restoration of Hydrorion brachypterygius
Microcleidus homalospondylus	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Life restoration of Microcleidus homalospondylus
Microcleidus macropterus	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]
Sthenarasaurus dawkins	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]
Seeleysaurus guilelmiimperatoris	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Toarcian[5]	Life restoration of Seeleysaurus guilelmiimperatoris
Hauffiosaurus zanoni	Toarcian[11]	Toarcian[11]	Toarcian[11]	Life restoration of Hauffiosaurus zanoni
Libonectes atlasense	Turonian[5]	Turonian[5]	Turonian[5]
Palmula quadratus	Turonian[13]	Turonian[13]	Turonian,[5] Turonian[13]
Trinacromerum bentonianum	Turonian[13]	Turonian[13]	Turonian,[5] Turonian[13]	Life restoration of Trinacromerum bentonianum
Trinacromerum kirki	Turonian[5]	Turonian[5]	Turonian[5]	Skeleton of Trinacromerum kirki
Libonectes morgani	Coniacian[18]	Coniacian[18]	Turonian,[5] Coniacian[18]	Life restoration of Libonectes morgani
Eopolycotylus rankini	Turonian[20]	Turonian[20]	Turonian,[11] Turonian[20]
Leptocleidus capensis	Valanginian[5]	Valanginian[5]	Valanginian[5]	Life restoration of Leptocleidus capensis
Pliosaurus funkei
Lusonectes sauvagei				Bones of Lusonectes sauvagei
Djupedalia engeri
Avalonnectes arturi				Avalonnectes arturi
Eoplesiosaurus antiquior				Eoplesiosaurus antiquior
Stratesaurus taylori				Stratesaurus taylori
Anningasaura lymense				Skull of Anningasaura lymense
Zarafasaura oceanis				Skull and neck of Zarafasaura oceanis
Westphaliasaurus simonsensii	Pliensbachian[21]	Pliensbachian[21]	Pliensbachian[21]
Marmornectes candrewi
Hauffiosaurus tomistomimus]
Meyerasaurus victor			Toarcian[22]	Life restoration of Meyerasaurus victor
Megacephalosaurus eulerti
Gronausaurus wegneri
Cryonectes neustriacus				Cryonectes neustriacus
Vectocleidus pastorum
Hastanectes valdensis
Spitrasaurus wensaasi
Spitrasaurus larseni
Nakonanectes bradti	Sinemurian	Sinemurian
Mauriciosaurus fernandezi	Early Turonian	Early Turonian
Polycotylus sopozkoi
Dawazisaurus brevis
Lariosaurus vosseveldensis
Stenorhynchosaurus munozi
Vegasaurus molyi	Early Maastrichtian[23]	Early Maastrichtian[23]	Early Maastrichtian[23]
Kawanectes lafquenianum
Atychodracon megacephalus				Life restoration of Atychodracon megacephalus
Anguanax zignoi				Anguanax zignoi
Pliosaurus patagonicus
Pliosaurus patagonicus
Pliosaurus carpenteri	Late Kimmeridgian[24]	Late Kimmeridgian[24]	Late Kimmeridgian[24]
Pliosaurus kevani	Early Kimmeridgian[25]	Kimmeridgian[26]	Early Kimmeridgian-Kimmeridgian[26]	Pliosaurus kevani
Pliosaurus westburyensis	Late Kimmeridgian[27]	Late Kimmeridgian[27]	Late Kimmeridgian[27]
Luskhan itilensis	Hauterivian	Hauterivian
Arminisaurus schuberti	Late Pliensbachian	Late Pliensbachian		Life restoration of Arminisaurus schuberti
Lagenanectes richterae	Early Hauterivian	Early Barremian		Known material of Lagenanectes richterae with a human to scale

Footnotes

1. Berezin (2011); "Abstract", page 648.
2. Kubo, Mitchell, and Henderson (2012); "Abstract", page 557.
3. Otero et al. (2016); "Abstract".
4. Sennikov and Arkhangelsky (2010); "Abstract", page 567.
5. Smith (2007); "Appendix 1", page 257.
6. Otero et al. (2014); "Abstract", page 100.
7. Araújo et al. (2015); "Abstract", page 109.
8. Morgan (2016); "In-Group Taxa" (cont.), page 30.
9. Morgan (2016); "In-Group Taxa" (cont.), pages 30-31.
10. Morgan (2016); "In-Group Taxa" (cont.), page 32.
11. Smith (2007); "Appendix 1", page 258.
12. Morgan (2016); "Out-Group" (cont.), page 29.
13. Morgan (2016); "In-Group Taxa" (cont.), page 31.
14. Morgan (2016); "In-Group Taxa" (cont.), page 33.
15. Benson et al. (2013); "Pliosaurus brachydeirus Owen, 1841", page 5.
16. Morgan (2016); "In-Group Taxa", page 29.
17. Morgan (2016); "In-Group Taxa" (cont.), pages 29-30.
18. Morgan (2016); "Out-Group", page 28.
19. Morgan (2016); "In-Group Taxa" (cont.), page 34.
20. Morgan (2016); "In-Group Taxa" (cont.), pages 31-32.
21. Sato et al. (2014); "Phylogenetic and functional inferences", page 72.
22. Smith (2007); "Appendix 1", page 257. Classified under the obsolete binomial "Rhomaleosaurus victor".
23. O'Gorman et al. (2015); "Abstract".
24. Benson et al. (2013); "Pliosaurus carpenteri n. sp.", pages 8-9.
25. Benson et al. (2013); "Pliosaurus kevani n. sp.", page 5.
26. Benson et al. (2013); "Pliosaurus kevani n. sp.", page 5. Note that although Benson et al. describe the tentatively referred Pliosaurus kevani specimen CAMSM J.35990 and the Lower Kimmeridgian Aulacostephanus mutabilis Biozone from which it likely originated as Lower Kimmeridgian, their "Table 1" on page 25 regard both as Upper Kimmeridgian in age.
27. Benson et al. (2013); "Pliosaurus westburyensis n. sp.", page 5.

References

• R. Araújo; M.J. Polcyn; A.S. Schulp; O. Mateus; L.L. Jacobs; A. Olímpio Gonçalves; M.-L. Morais (2015). "A new elasmosaurid from the early Maastrichtian of Angola and the implications of girdle morphology on swimming style in plesiosaurs". Netherlands Journal of Geosciences. 94 (1): 109–120. Bibcode:2015NJGeo..94..109A. doi:10.1017/njg.2014.44. S2CID 86616531.
• Benson, R. B. J.; Evans, M.; Smith, A. S.; Sassoon, J.; Moore-Faye, S.; Ketchum, H. F.; Forrest, R. (2013). Butler, Richard J (ed.). "A Giant Pliosaurid Skull from the Late Jurassic of England". PLOS ONE. 8 (5): e65989. Bibcode:2013PLoSO...865989B. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0065989. PMC 3669260. PMID 23741520.
• A. Yu. Berezin (2011). "A new plesiosaur of the family Aristonectidae from the early cretaceous of the center of the Russian platform". Paleontological Journal. 45 (6): 648–660. Bibcode:2011PalJ...45..648B. doi:10.1134/S0031030111060037. S2CID 129045087.
• Kubo, T.; Mitchell, M. T.; Henderson, D. M. (2012). "Albertonectes vanderveldei, a new elasmosaur (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Alberta". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 32 (3): 557–572. Bibcode:2012JVPal..32..557K. doi:10.1080/02724634.2012.658124. S2CID 129500470.
• Morgan, Donald Joseph III (2016). Revision of polycotylid plesioaur systematics (sauropterygia plesiosauria) and description of the axial osteology of a juvenile polycotylid (Thesis). Marshall University.
• José P. O’Gorman, Leonardo Salgado, Eduardo B. Olivero and Sergio A. Marenssi (2015). "Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (lower Maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 35 (3): e931285. Bibcode:2015JVPal..35E1285O. doi:10.1080/02724634.2014.931285. hdl:11336/53416. S2CID 128965534.
• Otero et al. (2014), Aristonectes quiriquinensis, sp. nov., a new highly derived elasmosaurid from the upper Maastrichtian of central Chile
• Otero, Rodrigo A.; O'Gorman, José P.; Hiller, Norton; O'Keefe, F. Robin; Fordyce, R. Ewan (2016). "Alexandronectes zealandiensis gen. et sp. nov., a new aristonectine plesiosaur from the lower Maastrichtian of New Zealand". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 36 (2): e1054494. Bibcode:2016JVPal..36E4494O. doi:10.1080/02724634.2015.1054494. hdl:11336/54350. S2CID 87048127.
• Sato, T.; Zhao, L.-J.; Wu, X.-C.; Li, C. (2014). "A new specimen of the Triassic pistosauroid Yunguisaurus, with implications for the origin of Plesiosauria (Reptilia, Sauropterygia)". Palaeontology. 57 (1): 55–76. Bibcode:2014Palgy..57...55S. doi:10.1111/pala.12048. S2CID 129457774.
• A. G. Sennikov, M. S. Arkhangelsky (2010). "On a Typical Jurassic Sauropterygian from the Upper Triassic of Wilczek Land (Franz Josef Land, Arctic Russia)". Paleontological Journal. 44 (5): 567–572. Bibcode:2010PalJ...44..567S. doi:10.1134/S0031030110050126. S2CID 88505507.
• Smith, Adam Stuart (2007). Anatomy and Systematics of the Rhomaleosauridae (Sauropterygia:Plesiosauria) (PDF) (Thesis). University of Ireland.