Tanystropheus

prehistoric reptile · long neck · Triassic

Impossibly Long Neck. Tanystropheus had one of the strangest necks of any animal ever. Its neck was longer than its torso and tail put together, and it was made of 13 vertebrae strengthened by special ribs to keep it from flopping around.

Lived in Triassic Times. This weird reptile roamed Earth during the Triassic Period, when dinosaurs were just getting started. Tanystropheus lived in Europe, Asia, and North America, which were very different continents back then.

Truly Gigantic. Some Tanystropheus grew to about 20 feet long, making it the longest reptile of its kind that wasn't a true dinosaur. Most of that incredible length came from that amazing neck.

Nearly Complete Fossils. Scientists have found so many fossils of Tanystropheus, including nearly complete skeletons, that they know more about this creature than many other ancient reptiles. This helps us understand how it actually lived and moved.