Editing Pliosauroidea (section)

==Large pliosauroids==
In 2002, the discovery of a very large pliosauroid was announced in [[Mexico]]. This pliosauroid came to be known as the "[[Monster of Aramberri]]". Although widely reported as such, it does not belong to the genus ''Liopleurodon''.<ref name="L">{{cite web |url=http://www.plesiosaur.com/plesiosaurs/liopleurodon.php |title=The Plesiosaur Site - Liopleurodon |access-date=2017-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715093428/http://www.plesiosaur.com/plesiosaurs/liopleurodon.php |archive-date=2011-07-15 }}</ref> The remains of this animal, consisting of a partial vertebral column, were dated to the [[Kimmeridgian]] of the La Caja Formation.<ref>M.-C. Buchy, E. Frey, W. Stinnesbeck, J.-G. Lopez-Oliva (2003) "First occurrence of a gigantic pliosaurid plesiosaur in the late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) of Mexico", Bull. Soc. geol. Fr., 174(3), pp. 271–278</ref> The fossils were found much earlier, in 1985, by a geology student and were at first erroneously attributed to a [[theropod]] [[dinosaur]] by Hahnel.<ref>Hahnel W. (1988) "Hallazgo de restos de dinosaurio en Aramberri, N.L.,
Mexico", Actas Fac. Cienc. Tierra UANL Linares, 3, 245–250.</ref> The remains originally contained part of a rostrum with teeth (now lost).

In August 2006, palaeontologists of the [[University of Oslo]] discovered the first remains of a pliosaur on Norwegian soil. The remains were described as "very well preserved, as well as being unique in their completeness". The large animal was determined to be a new species of ''[[Pliosaurus]]''.<ref name=P.funkei/> In the summer of 2008, the fossil remains of the huge pliosaur were dug up from the permafrost on [[Svalbard]], a Norwegian island close to the [[North Pole]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090319022055/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,509484,00.html?sPage=fnc/scitech/evolution Fox News: Predator X Was Most Fearsome Animal to Swim Oceans]</ref> The excavation of the find is documented in the 2009 [[History (U.S. TV channel)|History]] television special [[Predator X (TV program)|Predator X]].

{{confusing|date=February 2017}}
On 26 October 2009, palaeontologists reported the discovery of potentially the largest pliosauroid yet found. Found in cliffs near [[Weymouth, Dorset|Weymouth]], [[Dorset]], on Britain's [[Jurassic Coast]], the fossil had a skull length of {{convert|6|ft|5|in|m|abbr=off|sp=us}}. Palaeontologist Richard Forrest told the BBC: "I had heard rumours that something big was turning up. But seeing this thing in the flesh, so to speak, is just jaw dropping. It is simply enormous."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8322629.stm| work=BBC News | first=Rebecca | last=Morelle | author-link=Rebecca Morelle | title=Colossal 'sea monster' unearthed | date=27 October 2009}}</ref> It was determined that the specimen belonged to a new species that scientists named ''Pliosaurus kevani''.<ref>{{cite journal |title=A Giant Pliosaurid Skull from the Late Jurassic of England|date = 2013-05-13|author=Benson, Roger J. B.|author2=Evans, Mark|author3=Smith, Adam S.|author4=Sassoon, Judyth|author5=Moore-Faye, Scott|author6=Ketchum, Hilary F.|author7=Forrest, Richard|journal=PLOS ONE|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0065989 |pmc=3669260|pmid=23741520|volume=8|issue=5|page=e65989|bibcode = 2013PLoSO...865989B|doi-access = free}}</ref>

In December 2023, the recent discovery of a pliosaur skull on the Dorset coast was described as "one of the most complete specimens of its type ever discovered".<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-12-10 |title=Pliosaur discovery: Huge sea monster emerges from Dorset cliffs |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-67650247 |access-date=2023-12-10}}</ref> The discovery and research of the skull was covered in the [[PBS]] documentary ''Attenborough and the Jurassic Sea Monster'' hosted by [[David Attenborough]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/about-attenborough-and-the-jurassic-sea-monster/29745/|title=Attenborough and the Jurassic Sea Monster|date=24 January 2024 |publisher=[[PBS]]|accessdate=24 February 2024}}</ref>