Artist's impression of plesiosaurs feeding on the sea floor [AI-assisted image]. (Lente Artemieff via SWNS)
Queasy sea monsters swam to shore to vomit, reveals new research.
×
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ad^_b^b`^?6H=J\7@F?5\7@DD:=\@776CD\7C6D9\4=F6D\23@FE\=@?8\?64<65\>2C:?6\5:?@D2FCD^Qm!=6D:@D2FCDk^2m 962565 FA C:G6C 56=E2D `e_ >:==:@? J62CD 28@ E@ E9C@H FA D96==D 2?5 @E96C :?5:86DE:3=6 A2CED @7 E96:C >2C:?6 >62=D[ DF886DED E96 DEF5J @7 yFC2DD:4 7@DD:=D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96:C 3692G:@C 2E E96 E:>6 5:?@D2FCD C@2>65 E96 t2CE9 C6D6>3=6D E92E @7 E@52JVD 7FC D62=D 2?5 >2C:?6 4C@4@5:=6D[ D2J D4:6?E:DED]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm!C6G:@FD C6D62C49 :?E@ A=6D:@D2FC 2?2E@>J 2?5 >@G6>6?E DF886DED E96 :4@?:4 =@?8\?64<65 >2C:?6 C6AE:=6 2?8=65 :ED 9625 5@H? E@ 4@==64E D96==7:D9 7C@> E96 D627=@@C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmxE :D 36=:6G65 E92E E96J 4@F=5?VE 4CFD9 D96==D @C @E96C D<6=6E2= >2E6C:2= H:E9 E96:C E66E9[ D@ E96:C DE@>249D 4@>A24E65 :E E@ 36 G@>:E65 2D A6==6ED[ 2D 2?:>2=D :?4=F5:?8 @H=D 5@ E@52J]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm!2=6@?E@=@8:DE s:C< z?2FDE :56?E:7:65 E96 7@DD:=:K65 C6>2:?D @7 A=6D:@D2FC G@>:E A6==6ED :? H92E H@F=5 92G6 366? E96 D92==@H H2E6CD @7 C:G6C 56=E2D[ b_ >:=6D @77 E96 }@CH68:2? 4@2DE]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 D96==7:D9[ H9:49 z?2FDE :56?E:7:65 :? E96 G@>:E[ ?66565 E96 <:?5 @7 DE625J D2=E =6G6=D 7@F?5 :? E96 @A6? @462? E@ DFCG:G6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmqFE z?2FDE 5:D4@G6C65 E92E E96 G@>:E H2D 56A@D:E65 :? 2 C:G6C 56=E2 :? H9:49 :?4@>:?8 7C6D9H2E6C H@F=5 92G6 4@?E:?F2==J 492?865 E96 D2=E =6G6=D[ >2<:?8 :E :>A@DD:3=6 7@C E96 D6?D:E:G6 4C62EFC6D E@ =:G6 E96C6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw:D 56E2:=65 2?2=JD:D @7 >@C6 E92? a_ C68FC8:E2=:E6D — 4=F>AD @7 7@DD:=:K65 G@>:E C2?8:?8 :? D:K6 7C@> 2 H2=?FE E@ 2 >2?8@ — H2D AF3=:D965 :? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]42>3C:586]@C8^4@C6^;@FC?2=D^86@=@8:42=\>282K:?6Qmv6@=@8:42= |282K:?6k^2m]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz?2FDE 4@?4=F565 E92E A=6D:@D2FCD >FDE 92G6 62E6? E96 D96==7:D9 7C@> E96 D627=@@C :? 566A6C H2E6C 367@C6 DH:>>:?8 E@ D9@C6 E@ G@>:E FA E96 :?5:86DE:3=6 A2CED]k^Am
Drill core image of 160-million-year-old delta sand containing a clump of shells and plant remains, interpreted as plesiosaur vomit. (Dirk Knaust via SWNS)
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 D2:5i Q%96C6 92D 366? 2 =@E @7 C6D62C49 :?E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ac^``^af^a__\>:==:@?\J62C\@=5\7@DD:=:K65\5:?@D2FC\A@@A\F?=@4<D\G2DE\5:6E^Qm7@DD:=:K65 G@>:Ek^2m @G6C E96 =2DE 564256 3FE >@DE @7 :E 92D 7@4FD65 @? G6CE63C2E6D 62E:?8 @E96C G6CE63C2E6D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%9:D :D E96 7:CDE E:>6 E92E A=6D:@D2FC G@>:E[ 2?5 E96 D96==7:D9 :? :E[ 92G6 366? :56?E:7:65[ 2?5 E96D6 4C62EFC6D E6== FD 2 8C62E 562=]Qk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm~G6C E96 =2DE E9C66 564256D[ z?2FDE — 2 DA64:2=:DE :? E96 7@DD:= EC246D =67E 3J :?G6CE63C2E6D — 92D 2?2=JK65 D6G6C2= E9@FD2?5 >6E6CD @7 5C:== 4@C6 D2>A=6D E2<6? 7C@> E96 }@CE9 $62 H6==D @A6C2E65 3J 9:D 6>A=@J6C[ E96 }@CH68:2? 6?6C8J 4@>A2?J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]6BF:?@C]4@>^QmtBF:?@C p$pk^2m]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 G@>:E 7@DD:=D 96 DEF5:65 >2:?=J 4@>6 7C@> E96 56G6=@A>6?E @7 2 DF3D62 DE@C286 D:E6 7@C 42C3@? 5:@I:56 :? E96 G:4:?:EJ @7 E96 %C@== 82D 2?5 @:= 7:6=5]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz?2FDE D2:5i Q!=6D:@D2FCD >2J 92G6 4@>6 4=@D6 E@ D9@C6 E@ C6=2I @C D=66A 27E6C 9F?E:?8[ 2?5 E92EVD =:<6=J H96? E96J G@>:E65]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ(6 D66 7FC D62=D 2?5 >2C:?6 4C@4@5:=6D 5@:?8 D@>6E9:?8 D:>:=2C E@52J 3FE H9:=6 E96J 8@ @?E@ =2?5[ A=6D:@D2FCD AC@323=J C6>2:?65 DF3>6C865 5F6 E@ E96:C H6:89E 2?5 D92A6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%9:D G@>:E DFCG:G65 A2CE=J 3642FD6 :E H2D D@ 4@>A24E65 2?5 4@G6C65 :? >F4FD]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQtG6? D@[ >@DE A6==6ED H@F=5 92G6 366? 4@>A=6E6=J 3C@<6? FA 3J E96 H2G6D 2?5 E:56D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ$@>6 4=FDE6CD H6C6[ 9@H6G6C[ BF:4<=J 4@G6C65 3J D65:>6?E 2CC:G:?8 7C@> E96 C:G6CD[ 2?5 D@>6 6?565 FA :? 3FCC@HD =67E 3J 4CFDE2462?D @? E96 D627=@@C[ H96C6 E96J H6C6 A2CE:2==J AC6D6CG65 2?5 7@DD:=:K65]Qk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 H2D 6I4:E65 E@ 7:?5 2 3@?6 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ae^_h^``^H9J\5:5\3:C5D\DFCG:G6\H96?\5:?@D\5:5?E\A@@A\>2J\C6G62=\2?DH6C^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm4@AC@=:E6Dk^2m — 7@DD:=:K65 7646D — ;FDE 2 76H :?496D 7C@> E96 7@DD:=:K65 G@>:E :? @?6 4@C6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz?2FDE D2:5i Q%9:D H2D BF:E6 DA64E24F=2C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%@ 368:? H:E9[ x E9@F89E :E H2D 2 5:?@D2FC 3@?6 3FE H96? H6 =@@<65 2E E96 r% D42? H6 C62=:K65[ ?@[ :E >FDE 36 7C@> 2? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_aa^_c^ag^8:2?E\D62\>@?DE6C\E92E\>2J\92G6\366?\=2C86DE\E@\6G6C\=:G6\F?62CE965\:?\E96\2=AD^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm:49E9J@D2FCk^2m – 2 8C@FA @7 >2C:?6 C6AE:=6D D:>:=2C E@ 3FE F?C6=2E65 E@ 5@=A9:?D]k^Am
(Photo by Mark Stebnicki via Pexels)
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ$@ E96? x E9@F89E E96 G@>:E 2?5 7646D >:89E 92G6 36=@?865 E@ 2? :49E9J@D2FC[ 3FE :E H2D?VE E92E D:>A=6] %96C6 H6C6 >2?J @E96C >2C:?6 2?:>2=D E@ 4@?D:56C[ 2?5 E96 4@>A@D:E:@? @7 E96:C G@>:E 5:776CD]Qk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz?2FDE 6IA=2:?65 E92E 96 4@F=5 5:DE:?8F:D9 G@>:E 7C@> 7646D 5F6 E@ E96 9:896C 2>@F?E @7 F?5:86DE65 7@@5 C6>2:?D :? E96 G@>:E DA64:>6?D[ E96:C D42EE6C65 2?5 :CC68F=2C D92A6[ 2?5 E96:C 5:DE:?4E:G6 >:?6C2=@8J]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 :56?E:7:65 3:G2=G6 D96==D 2?5 D6CAF=:5 D96==D 2D H6== 2D 36=6>?:E6D[ E96 92C5 A2CED @7 DBF:5\=:<6 46A92=@A@5D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 >:I A@:?E65 E@ 2? 2?:>2= DA64:2=:K65 E@ 62E 92C5\D96==65 2?5 6I@D<6=6E@? AC6J @? E96 D627=@@C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 4F=AC:E 2=D@ 925 E@ 36 =2C86 6?@F89 E@ 2==@H :E E@ G@>:E 4=F>AD FA E@ `_ 46?E:>6E6CD Wb]h :?496DX @C >@C6 :? D:K6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz?2FDE 36=:6G6D @?6 @7 E96 4@AC@=:E6D 7@F?5 ?62C E96 G@>:E 2?5 :49E9J@D2FC 3@?6 42>6 7C@> 2 4C@4@5:=6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw@H6G6C[ yFC2DD:4 D92C<D 2?5 4C@4@5:=6D 9F?E65 7:D9 C2E96C E92? 62E:?8 D96==7:D9 7C@> E96 D627=@@Cj 2?5 z?2FDE 5:5?VE 7:?5 2?J 6G:56?46 @7 7:D9 D<6=6E@?D :? E96 7@DD:=:K65 G@>:E]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 D2:5i Q%96 A=6D:@D2FC >@DE 4=@D6=J >2E496D E96 D:K6 2?5 7665:?8 AC@7:=6 @7 E96 G@>:E AC@5F46C]Qk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 6IA=2:?65 E92E A=6D:@D2FCD 4@F=5 >62DFC6 2?JE9:?8 FA E@ `b >6E6CD Wca]e 766EX :? =6?8E9 2?5 H6C6 D@>6 @7 E96 >@DE DF446DD7F= >2C:?6 C6AE:=6D E@ 92G6 6G6C =:G65]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96J DFCG:G65 7@C >@C6 E92? `c_ >:==:@? J62CD E9C@F89 D6G6C2= 6IE:?4E:@? 6G6?ED]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 4CJAE@4=:5:5 A=6D:@D2FCD[ H9:49 z?2FDE 9@=5D C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C E96 G@>:E[ 8C6H FA E@ 6:89E >6E6CD Wae]a 766EX =@?8 2?5 =:G65 36EH66? E96 |:55=6 yFC2DD:4 E@ E96 t2C=J rC6E246@FD [ 2C@F?5 `fc E@ `__]d >:==:@? J62CD 28@]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm!=6D:@D2FC D<6=6E@?D 92G6 366? 7@F?5 2== @G6C E96 H@C=5[ 3FE E96 &]z] :D 2 A2CE:4F=2C 9@EDA@E]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz?2FDE[ H9@ @7E6? D62C496D 7@C 7@DD:=D @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ae^_c^ab^H@C=5D\@=56DE\4C@4@5:=6\7@DD:=\5:D4@G6C65\5FC:?8\H2=<\@?\36249^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmt?8=2?5VD yFC2DD:4 r@2DEk^2m[ 36=:6G6D E92E A=6D:@D2FCD 4@F=5 92G6 5:DA=2J65 E96 D2>6 3692G:@C 2C@F?5 qC:E2:?[ 2D H6== 2D @E96C 4@2DE=:?6D]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmx? yFC2DD:4 E:>6[ 96 D2:5 E96 =@42E:@? @7 E96 H6== H96C6 E96 7@DD:=D H6C6 4@==64E65 2?5 E96 @FE4C@AD @7 C@4< 2=@?8 4@2DE2= 4=:77D :? D@FE96C? t?8=2?5 36=@?865 E@ E96 D2>6 ?2CC@H D62[ D:>:=2C E@ E96 }@CE9 $62 E@52J]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz?2FDE 25565i Q%96 A=6D:@D2FC :D DF49 2 72D4:?2E:?8 2?:>2=]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%96D6 7:?5:?8D 255 E@ @E96C <:?5D @7 6G:56?46 E92E 96=A FD E@ F?56CDE2?5 E96:C 23:=:E:6D 2?5 3692G:@C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQp?5 E9:D :D DE:== ;FDE E96 368:??:?8] %96C6VD D@ >F49 >@C6 H6 42? =62C? 7C@> A:4<:?8 E9C@F89 H92E 6IE:?4E 2?:>2=D E9C6H FA 27E6C 5:??6C]Qk^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.