In a coastal area, a brown mid sized theropod dinosaur is standing a rock ledge watching for prey.
The most fearsome predator of the Jurassic, is watching his prey. Seeking through the water, the carnivore fixes on his unwary victim.
Waiting for the perfect moment, to strike.
Then suddenly the hunter has become the hunted. Right behind the dinosaur, a colossal marine reptile lunges it's head out of the water. And clamps it's jaws on the dinosaur's tail, and soon disappears under the waves.
OXFORDSHIRE
149,000,000 BC
Twilight and her friends soon arrive at their destination, at shallow sea with a few islands.
Under these amazing waters, lies the future continent of Europe. But now, in the Late Jurassic Period all that exists here are a few scattered islands.
The break up of the old continents has pushed up the ocean floor, and raised sea levels. Flooding the lowlands, and creating vast shallow seas.
Here, dinosaurs do not rule.
Soon Twilight and the others have arrive on a island. And they begun to explore.
"Wow, this place is sweet!" Said Spike.
"Sure is a nice place to get away." Rarity said.
"Yeah. A place to kick back and relax!" Said Rainbow.
"How bout, we save that for later." Said Twilight.
They explored along the rocky ledges on the beach, and soon came across a group of reptiles resting on the rocks.
Instead, giant marine reptiles evolved.
Perfectly adapted to life in these beautiful waters. All of them are air breathers, like this 8 ton Cryptoclidus.
"Whoa, check out that guy." Pinkie seeing the Cryptoclidus.
"I must say, they don't like their land dwellers." Said Rarity.
"Maybe their water animals." Fluttershy said.
On the land, their heavy hulks.
Then they notice one of them is crawling towards the water. Using his 4 flippers in the same way sea turtles do on the beach. And it dove into the water.
But in the water, they are transformed.
And soon, another dives in the water.
"Hey! Wait up!" Pinkie running after them. "Cannonball!"
Then Pinkie jump right in the water.
"Pinkie!" Twilight running after her.
Soon they went in the water after her, and surprisingly breathable air bubbles form around their heads. And they can see perfectly, and they saw the Crytoclidus's true form.
All sea reptiles once lived on land. But 75 million years ago, the ancestors of these creatures took to the water. And their legs became graceful flippers.
"Whoa! These guys are wicked in the water!" Rainbow amazed by them.
"Looks like we'll be exploring their world now." Said Starlight.
Sometime later, they came across strange coiled shells floating in the water.
They share this shallow sea, with other strange Jurassic creatures. Like the Ammonites, that ride the currents snaring small prey with their tentacles.
"These for some weird squid." Said Spike.
These rich sunlit waters, are on the northern edge of the ancient Tethys Ocean. A sea that separates the Earth's 2 continents, one in the north, and one in the south.
Once a year, they are the stage, for a remarkable natural drama.
After swimming for a while, the gang have came across what looks like a cross of a reptile, a fish, and a dolphin.
It's starts with a single pregnant Ophthalmosaurus. Followed by hundreds more of her kind. All are gathering here, from deeper water, to give birth.
"What are those guys?" Rainbow seeing the Ophthalmosaurus.
"I think their reptiles of some kind." Said Fluttershy.
"Not the best way for a dolphin impression look." Said Spike. "But, close enough."
These are the oldest of marine reptiles. And most completely adapted for aquatic life. With streamline fish like bodies
Then 1 Ophthalmosaurus swam up the group by curiosity, and then quickly jolts away.
"Whoa, these guys are fast!" Said Rainbow.
And soon, they watch a Ophthalmosaurus leaping out of the water like a dolphin. And falls back into the water.
And soon they spotted a Cryptoclidus.
Most other marine reptiles like Cryptoclidus, use all 4 flippers to chase the blizzards of fish through the water.
Twilight observes how the Cryptoclidus are using their flippers to swim.
And soon, a group of them started hunted a school of fish.
Flapping like underwater wings, these flippers can be used separately to give them enormous maneuverability. Or together, for sudden bursts of speed.
The group watches the underwater speed demons swam through the water, like penguins and seals do.
These unique method of locomotion, is destined to disappear from the ocean. At the end of the Age of the Dinosaurs.
Soon Twilight and the others went back up on the beach to dry off. And begin exploring the rocky ledges some more.
The animals on the small islands above, also depend on the sea's bounty for their survival.
While exploring, they came across some small pterosaurs.
Among the jagged rocks, live a colony of flying reptiles. These sea pterosaurs are called Rhamphorhynchus.
"Hey, it's more of those winged reptiles!" Said Rainbow noticing some.
And then saw one skimming it's beak through the water. It's their way of fishing.
They have evolved the unique way of catching fish, without getting their wing membranes wet. Their streamlined beaks, skim through the water, grabbing anything in their path.
Soon one appears and lands on a rock. And has a fish in it's mouth.
The teeth of these flying reptiles made look bizarre. But their ideal for snatching slippery fish through the water.
They soon notice that the Rhamphorhynchus's teeth don't pointed inwards, but slight forward. And begins to swallow the fish.
However, swallowing their catch. Is a different matter.
And soon, the pterosaur swallows his catch.
Meanwhile near a shallow bay, a Ophthalmosaurus porpoise's on the surface.
And soon, Fluttershy and Twilight went back into the water. To check out what was going on.
The Ophthalmosaurus are starting to give birth. Most sea reptiles return to the land to lay eggs. But not Ophthalmosaurus, they give birth to live young.
This frees the adults, from the need to crawl out of the water. And has allow them to evolved their fish like shapes. A single female has between 2 and 5 pups. But since they are air breathers, the young must be born tail first, otherwise they would drown in the time it takes them to escape from the mother.
It's the same method with Whales and Dolphins.
Twilight and Fluttershy soon notice a female that has just had a pup, and quickly the small baby makes a beeline to the surface.
The newborn pups have just a few seconds, to reach the surface and take their first breath.
And soon, the little pup has made it, and took his first breath of air. For the first time in his life. And soon dives down again, and like all reptiles he is on his own from the moment he's born.
And the young pup went up curiously to Twilight and Fluttershy.
"Aw! Hey there cutie." Said Fluttershy.
And soon, the small Opthalmosaurus swims off.
From the moment they are born, the little pups are vulnerable. These waters are full of predators, even adult Opthalmosaurus will eat the offspring of others. To increase the chance of survival for their own pups. The only real safety, is amongst the cracks of coral.
As Twilight and Fluttershy swam around, they notice a female near the surface. She too is giving birth.
Birth is a dangerous time for the mothers too. This female is trying desperately to exspell her unborn offspring. Fighting for air, she stays near the surface.
Her struggles are a lure to sharks. These predators have acute hearing, and the sound of splashing betrays an animal in distress.
As perfectly evolved killing machines. Sharks were patrolling the oceans long before marine reptiles appeared.
Twilight and Fluttershy were still watching the Opthalmosaurus from a distance on the seabed. But their unaware of the approach of the sharks.
After 20 minutes, her condition is exhausting her. She's having to breath more frequently.
The sharks start to move in closer.
As 1 Hybodus moves alongside of a coral reef. He swims off.
Suddenly something lurking in the gloom, scatters the sharks.
And something was seen moving in the depths.
Something big.
Then suddenly a colossal marine reptile lunges from the blue and snatches the Opthalmosaurus. In seconds all that's left of her, was a part of her tail. And soon Twilight and Fluttershy saw the culprit, and they quickly recognize it. As it swims off.
Liopluerodon.
At 150 tons, it is the largest and most powerful carnivore ever to live on the planet. This male measures a colossal 80 feet, and is big even for his kind. His size means he's probably over 100 years old.
He too has detected the mother's distress from a distance. Liopluerodon has a directional sense of smell. 2 separated chambers in his nose, work in the same way as a pair of ears. Pin pointing exactly where a smell is coming from. A powerful tracking device. Steering the largest carnivorous jaws ever known.
Twilight and Fluttershy followed the sea monster a bit, but was hard to keep up. And he was moving through the water like a great ocean glider.
Each one of Liopluerodon's 4 flippers is over 10 feet long. Giving him enough power, to guide his huge bulk amazingly through the water.
Above the sea, food is less rich. A lonely dinosaur has been force to swim between the islands, in search of a meal.
This dinosaur has probably been swimming for almost a half hour.
With huge marine predators in the water, this a dangerous journey.
But luckily he makes it to shore just in time. And is on the beach near Twilight and the others.
"Wow. That guys sure had a swim." Said Pinkie.
"You're telling me." Rainbow agreeing with her.
And soon the dinosaur begin to wander away in search for anything to eat.
Large dinosaurs are rare here, and at 15 feet long from nose to tail. Eustreptospondylus is the biggest. They are primary scavengers, combing the beaches for dead animals. But on such small islands, they are always under pressure to find more carrion.
And the group follows the Eustreptospondylus through the trees, and to another section of the island. And they came across another Eustreptospondylus feeding on a carcass.
But another scavenger has got here, first. This Eustreptospondylus is picking the last rotten strips of flesh off a dead shark. But even these old remains, are enough to trigger a confrontation.
Soon the 2 dinosaurs started a tug of war match on the carcass. It was almost like 2 dogs fighting over a chew toy.
Neither will risk an injury, and in the end. It is the loudest roar, that wins.
Then the 2nd Eustreptospondylus lets out a roar. And the 1st ran off.
2 weeks later, and the group went for a swim. And they soon notice a Cryptoclidus at the seabed.
Having a lungfull of air, presents all marine reptiles with a buoyancy problem. Cryptoclidus has found one solution.
Then the Crytoclidus starts digging his snout in the sand.
"What is he doing?" Rainbow question confused.
"Not sure." Said Twilight.
He is not searching for food in the sand, he is in fact after pebbles and grit. sitting off the fine grits, and hold the largest stones in his stomach. For balance, which weighs him down.
At sunset, Twilight and the others climbed to the rocky ledges and join up with the Crytoclidus coming up to shore for the night.
The land is safety for the Crytoclidus. With the high tide, they've come up onto the rock ledge to rest. And also, to be out of reach, of Liopleurodon.
"Well, guess it's time to get some sleep." Said Twilight.
And soon, they begin to settle down for the night.
Under the moonlight of night, familiar creatures crawled out on the beach.
Horseshoe crabs.
Ancient creatures who's origins survive 150 million years before the Jurassic. On a high tide, the females struggle up the beach, and each lay as many as 18,000 eggs. These creatures have a advantage that allows them to survive before the dinosaurs appeared. And will do so for at least another 150 million years to come.
Early morning.
And the arrival of the horseshoe crabs has cause a feeding frenzy. Every year, Rhamphorhynchus come swarming to this beach, to gather up the eggs laid in the night. While the last few crabs, struggle back into the water.
But as the pterosaurs carelessly feed, a Eusterptospondylus approaches the frenzy. And then, charges at the small reptiles snatching as many as he can catch.
Hearing the commotion, Twilight and the others watch from the edge of the treeline wondering what was going on.
A month later, the eggs hatched. And the babies are wash into the sea by the high tide.
The next day, the Opthalmosaurus's life at the reefs are coming to a end. In a few weeks, they'll enter life of the open oceans.
But the sharks are still a danger. One day these will the most feared predators in sea. But in these Jurassic waters, they themselves are prey. While swimming the waters, the group have came across a Liopluerodon at the surface taking a breath of air.
The Liopleurodon is an expert in ambush.
And soon the large reptile dives down into the depths.
He takes one giant gulp of air, then descends to hide in the depths.
There, he can hold his breath, for over a hour.
And Liopleurodon, is a shark eater.
As they swam, Twilight and others hoped that the Liopleurodon is watching them for below. And as they swam, they saw a shark swam away and then a 2nd Liopleurodon appeared.
Unexpectedly a female Liopleurodon arrives on the scene. This, the bull will not accept.
Soon the male Liopleurodon approaches the female.
Liopleurodon are fiercely territorial about their hunting areas. And confrontations almost always end in violence.
Soon the 2 giants reptiles circle each other, and then the male bites the female's left rear flipper.
The female is force to leave the area. Her flipper has been badly ripped by the male's tusk like teeth. Attracted sharks, that follow her trail of blood.
Sometime later, storm clouds start to gather.
It is 4 months since the pups were born. And their ready to leave, but they are about face one of the greatest hazards of this Cruel Jurassic Sea.
These islands are regularly raged by violent tropical storms from the east. That are strong enough to tear up the shallow seabeds, smash corals, and kill thousands of marine animals.
Soon a large hurricane hits the islands. And it went on for hours on end.
The storm has had it's victims. It was not just these delegate bone Rhamphorhynchus, that where broken in the 100 mile an hour winds.
As Twilight and her friends which survived the storm, went up to the beach. And saw something horrible.
The old Liopleurodon, disoriented in the murky waters. Has ended up stranded on a island beach.
And unlike the 26 foot long Cryptoclidus, he is too heavy for his flippers to hull his body back in the water. And he is as vulnerable as a beached whale.
Before long, a Eustreptospondyus appeared.
As beachcombers start to gather. They are wary. While the giant is still alive, his enormous jaws are lethal.
Soon a 2nd Eustreptospondyus appeared, and watches.
But they can to buy their time.
As time went on. The carnivore's own 150 ton body, is slowly suffocating him.
Sometime later.
Hours later, the 2 Eustreptospondyus are now feeding on the pliosaur.
The Liopleurodon's life has now fade away. The largest carnivore the world has ever seen, is no more than a bank bit for a group of lucky scavengers.
The body of the marine reptile, will keep the dinosaur well fed for many weeks to come. If not, months.
The Jurassic is a golden period for giant marine reptiles.
It will be another 90 million years before they disappear from the oceans.
Along with the Extinction of the Dinosaurs on land.
Twilight and her friends watched the the scavenging dinosaur feed for a while. And soon finally, the time warp opens and they are pulled in. Being taking...
To their next destination in history.
Meanwhile, underwater.
Most of the Opthalmosaurus pups have survived the storm. Now face life, in the open sea.
One day the females will return. And when they do, they will be carrying the next generation.
Marine reptiles were one of the glories of this ancient time.
Even though turtles are the only ones left today.
There was another major group of reptiles, that shared the dinosaur's world.
The flying Pterosaurs.
And as they'll shall see in the next chapter.
They were just as spectacular.
Next Time.
They'll travel forward 22 million years.
And travel across the world, with a winged giant.
Author's Fun Facts:
Believe or not, there was a fossil find of bite mark of a Pliosaur. And the size showed it belonged to a 80 foot long monster.
So it's possible that a 80 foot Pliosaur has yet to be discovered.