5 of the Most Interesting Prehistoric Marine Reptiles

Prehistoric marine reptiles were a diverse group of creatures. Learn how these five adapted to live, move and feed in an aquatic environment.

By Allison Futterman
Sep 10, 2023 1:00 PMSep 18, 2023 8:27 PM
3D illustration of Plesiosaurus under water from the Jurassic era
(Credit: Warpaint/Shutterstock)

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Prehistoric reptiles roamed every corner of the Earth millions of years ago — including the depths of the ocean to streams and rivers. While commonly referred to as aquatic or marine dinosaurs — or reptiles — many of these creatures also spent a significant amount of time out of the water. 

Some prehistoric marine reptiles came to the surface to breathe or returned to land to lay their eggs. Here are five of the most interesting aquatic reptiles that lived among the dinosaurs.            

1. Spinosaurus

Larger than the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Spinosaurus was the largest known carnivorous dinosaur. Reaching over 20 feet tall and up to 65 feet long, these enormous creatures could weigh in at 26,000 to 44,000 pounds. Although they lived primarily in water, they were not ocean dwellers. Instead, they lived in rivers and lakes in Northern Africa — in what is now modern-day Morocco and Egypt. 

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