Elasmosaur

/ɪˈlæzmoʊˌsɔr/ noun

Definition

A large marine reptile from the Mesozoic Era, part of the plesiosaur family, characterized by a long neck, small head, and four paddle-like flippers.

Etymology

From Greek 'elasmo-' (plate) and 'sauros' (lizard), referring to the plate-like or limb-like structures these creatures possessed, named for their paddle-like flipper structure.

Kelly Says

Elasmosaurs were often mistaken for the Loch Ness Monster by imaginative people in the 1800s, but they actually went extinct 66 million years ago—there's no way Nessie is an elasmosaur!

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