Woolungasaurus Glendowerensis

Woolungasaurus
Glendowerensis

The Richmond Museum’s specimen of
Woolungasaurus has the least worn long-
necked plesiosaur bones in Australia.
Unlike the Richmond Pliosaur, almost
every bone was scattered from its
neighbours by a Northwest to Southeast
two-way current. This was possibly a
tidal scour. It spread two "Afans" of
scattered bones each side of the only
articulated bones, the pectoral (shoulder)
girdles. Though so scattered, the bones
mostly retain their natural shape.
Examples of most kinds of bones are present. The 7m model displayed overhead in the museum is natural size and is accurate recreation of the species. Other specimens of Woolungasaurus show ballast stones in bedded in the fossils. These stones are believed to be used to keep their bodies just heavier than water so they can remain at their preferred "neutral depth". Pliosaurs and crocodiles use this buoyancy technique. It is thought they use these stones the uplift effect of air breathed in before diving.

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