Pliosaurus Information

The pliosaur, an oceanic predator measuring up to 12 meters in length, was a formidable force in the ancient seas. With a short neck and a massive, crocodile-like head, its powerful jaws housed razor-sharp teeth capable of biting in half even the largest great white shark today—though they never coexisted. This 12-tonne giant, believed to be 155 million years old, has a skull measuring an impressive 2.4 meters long, with a bite force strong enough to break a small car in half.

Belonging to the plesiosaur family, this pliosaur was recently identified as a new species and named Pliosaurus kevani, in honor of its discoverer, amateur fossil collector Kevan Sheehan. Sheehan painstakingly recovered the fossil bones from Weymouth Bay over five years, starting in 2003.

The largest piece of the fossil, weighing over 80 kg, was meticulously pieced together for display at Dorset Museum. The restoration process took 18 months of professional work. The remarkable fossil was formally unveiled by Sir David Attenborough on July 8, 2011, showcasing this incredible prehistoric predator to the world.