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| How would pliosaurs fare in modern oceans? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Oct 18 2016, 05:16 AM (646 Views) | |
| Carnoferox | Oct 18 2016, 05:16 AM Post #1 |
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Herbivore
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This question is inspired by other recent topics, except with aquatic life and an ocean environment. So how do you think pliosaurs would do in today's oceans? |
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| micrompciraptor | Oct 18 2016, 06:09 AM Post #2 |
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Heterotrophic Organism
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I do not know if pliosaur is fast, but if it is, it will give very well with all the smaller carnivorous animals it ... without megalodon and other marine reptiles |
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| Thalassophoneus | Oct 18 2016, 06:42 AM Post #3 |
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Pelagic Killer
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They would probably competit with killer whales. And larger ones would be hunters of dolphins and possibly sharks. |
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| Finderskeepers | Oct 18 2016, 11:47 AM Post #4 |
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Omnivore
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They would do much better than elephants in Cretaceous or T. rex in Africa as there are no mega predators that can eat them and there is enough food in the form of whales. |
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| DarkGricer | Oct 18 2016, 12:07 PM Post #5 |
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Omnivore
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This question is quite difficult to answer, given how many species of pliosaurs there are. Overall, I think they would do fine, though some species might have trouble, particularly those who are big enough to compete with orcas, but not big enough that orcas would be scared of them. But other than that, I'd think most larger or smaller pliosaurs would do just fine. |
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| Carnoferox | Oct 18 2016, 12:39 PM Post #6 |
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Herbivore
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I guess I should have been more specific. The Thalassophonea (the most derived clade of pliosaurs) in particular, which includes Liopleurodon, Pliosaurus, Kronosaurus, and a few other genera. |
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| micrompciraptor | Oct 18 2016, 12:52 PM Post #7 |
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Heterotrophic Organism
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which of the two has the toughest skin? Orca or pliosaur |
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| DarkGricer | Oct 18 2016, 01:46 PM Post #8 |
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Omnivore
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The pliosaur, probably. But it's not about who would win in a fight, given how orcas live in pods. |
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| Thalassophoneus | Oct 18 2016, 02:03 PM Post #9 |
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Pelagic Killer
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Actually we cannot be sure. Based on traces of skin that have been found, didn't ichthyosaurs and ichtyosaurs have rather smooth skin? |
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| Wyvax | Oct 19 2016, 04:35 PM Post #10 |
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Herbivore
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It really depends on whether they can either a) outswim cetaceans and sharks or b) successfully ambush them. I think the latter is most likely, sneaking from below and putting on a burts of speed for an ambush. I can see little things like Lios doing well as analogs of gws and orcas. Really big ones would surely be dependent upon whales and very large fish or squid. If a Kronosaurus or large Pliosaurus is capable of taking out large baleen whales individually (or perhaps in groups) by say targeting the flukes, then I could see them doing quite well. What would be interesting is the interactions between these large ones and orca pods, I don't think orcas would dare try to kill one, but I can see them mobbing to steal kills. Conversationally I think that mosasaurs would probably be more successful in or oceans than pliosaurs would. |
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| Finderskeepers | Oct 19 2016, 05:09 PM Post #11 |
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Omnivore
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Should I make that thread? |
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| Wyvax | Oct 19 2016, 05:29 PM Post #12 |
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Herbivore
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I don't see why not. They seem like a completely different sort of predator just from a cursory glance. I imagine that their behavior and hunting strategies were most likely different. |
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| Grazier | Dec 29 2016, 05:08 AM Post #13 |
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Omnivore
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Their only concern will be finding enough food in our relatively sparse and depleted oceans. Whale numbers are increasing but still grossly lacking when compared to pre-whaling times. The oceans in the jurassic generally would have been teeming with life beyond even those times, and teeming with large specimens of life, too, which is what facilitated gigantic predators like the pliosaurs. Whales/cetaceans, large seals/sea lions, sharks and whale sharks all would be preyed upon, I just don't know if there will be enough in any given area to sustain a pliosaur. |
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