The distinguishing characteristics are a short neck and an elongated head, with larger hind flippers compared to the fore flippers, vice-versa of the plesiosaurs. They were carnivorous and their long and powerful jaws carried many sharp, conical teeth. Pliosaurs range from 13 to 49 ft. (4 to 15 metres) and more in length.
The largest known genera are Kronosaurus and Pliosaurus; other well known genera include Rhomaleosaurus, Peloneustes, and Macroplata.
Many very early (from the Early Jurassic and possibly Rhaetian (Latest Triassic)) primitive pliosauroids were very like plesiosauroids in appearance and, indeed, used to be included in the family Plesiosauridae.
In Walking with... SeriesEdit
The WWD pilot depicts Liopleurodon in manner very similar to the "Cruel Sea" episode, albeit in a different color.
This episode was centered on marine reptiles, including Liopleurodon, which was depicted as an apex predator (and possibly very oversized than in real life). It died at the end of the episode, when it became beached in a storm.
This episode featured Plesiopleurodon - a cousin of Liopleurodon, though of a different cousin. It was based on the Liopleurodon model from the previous episode and it stalked the old male Ornithocheirus as he crossed the Atlantic ocean.