Judith Massare is a paleontologist specializing in Mesozoic marine reptile research. In 1987, Massare published an analysis of plesiosaur feeding habits. She concluded that the long-necked plesiosauroids ate soft prey. Liopleurodon and its relatives, on the other hand, had teeth resembling those of killer whales and probably ate larger, bonier prey.[1] The next year, Massare analyzed Mesozoic marine reptile swimming abilities and found that long-necked plesiosaurs would have been significantly slower than pliosaurs due to excess drag incurred from their large round bodies.[2]

She is a great-granddaughter of Vincent Massari, politician member of the Colorado General Assembly and founder the Colorado State University Pueblo.[3]

Footnotes

  1. โ†‘ "The Pliosaurs" Ellis (2003), page 184.
  2. โ†‘ "The Plesiosaurs" Ellis (2003), page 152.
  3. โ†‘ "Vincent Massari: Cronache di un abruzzese d'America", Alessio De Stefano (2023), Radici Edizioni, pages 156-157.

References

  • Ellis, Richard, (2003) Sea Dragons - Predators of the Prehistoric Oceans. University Press of Kansas. ISBN 0-7006-1269-6.


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