The plesiosaurs were marine reptiles which were characterized by a broad
turtle-like body, paddle-like flippers, and a long neck and tail (Pl.
41). These reptiles were not as streamlined or well equipped for
swimming as the ichthyosaurs or mosasaurs, but the long serpent-like
neck was probably very useful in helping the reptile catch fish and
other small animals for food. Plesiosaur remains range from middle
Triassic to late Cretaceous in age, and they have been found in
Cretaceous rocks in Texas. A short-necked plesiosaur which was collected
from Upper Cretaceous rocks near Waco is on display in the Strecker
Museum at Baylor University in Waco.