183-Million-Year-Old Plesiosaur Fossil Reveals Unique Skin Features

New analysis uncovers a combination of smooth skin and scales that enhanced swimming and seabed movement.

Researchers analyzed soft tissue from a 183-million-year-old plesiosaur fossil discovered in Germany's Posidonia Shale.
The study found the marine reptile had smooth, hydrodynamic skin on its tail and scaly skin on its flippers' trailing edges.
The scales likely improved swimming efficiency by stiffening the flipper edges and helped the creature move along rough seabeds while feeding.
This exceptionally preserved fossil allowed scientists to observe 183-million-year-old skin cells under a microscope for the first time.
The findings provide new insights into plesiosaur biology and behavior, aiding in more accurate reconstructions of their appearance and evolutionary history.