Plesiosaur giving live birth

Fossil Plesiosaur Foetus

Pregnant Plesiosaur Discovery

A large pregnant Plesiosaur fossil has been discovered in Kentucky, USA, 78 million years old, and is the first such fossil to be found since the species was discovered, some 200 years ago.
 
This is the proof that Plesiosaurs gave birth to live young. Not only that, but that the young were extreme;ly large when born.
 
The fossil discovered was Polycotylus latippinus, which was around 15 feet long. It was carrying a 5 foot long foetus, which was still not fully developed, so we can assume that when born, the foetus would have been around 6.5 feet in length.
 
As these were siingle births it is probable that the mothers invested considerable time and effort in bringing up their young.
Possibly they lived in family groups, much like the whales and dolphins of today.
 
This is a very exciting discovery, and changes the way we think about these amazing creatures.