Mauled, Injured and Sick: Sore Tales of Giant Pliosaurs
Webinar
4th November 2026 19:00 BST
by Dr Judyth Sassoon (University of Bristol)
Abstract
This talk will introduce pliosaurs, giving an overview of their evolutionary history and the development of scientific research on the group. It will then examine a range of pathological conditions documented in pliosaur fossils, including healed fractures, bite-related trauma, and disease. Such traces of injury and in some cases, recovery offer valuable evidence of how these animals responded to physical stress, interacted with their environment and occasionally survived severe trauma. They can also illuminate aspects of behaviour and lifestyle such as predator–prey interactions, possible intraspecific combat, and the responses of pliosaurs to traumatic injury. The assumptions and inferences that need to be made in the diagnosis of palaeopathologies will also be discussed.
Palaeopathologies provide a window into aspects of behaviour, ecology, and physiology that are not typically evident from the fossilised skeletons of presumed healthy animals. Far from being mere curiosities, they offer valuable insights into the challenges faced by some of the ocean’s most formidable predators. The study of palaeopathologies allows us to move beyond narratives centred on predation and ecological dominance, to illuminate the consequences of injury, the capacity for survival, and the resilience of individual animals. In doing so, they reveal a more relatable and empathy-provoking dimension of prehistoric life, one that foregrounds the lived experiences of ancient organisms and fosters a deeper appreciation of their biological histories.