I’ve featured several books authored by or otherwise featuring the contributions of paleontologist Darren Naish here before, from the more child-friendly Ultimate Dinopedia to the more advanced… erm, Dinopedia. Today’s review concerns Ancient Sea Reptiles: Plesiosaurs, Ichthyosaurs, Mosasaurs, and More. I meant to purchase a copy during my visit to TetZooCon, but for whatever reason never got around to it until now. I’m glad I finally did, though! For those who have a copy of Naish’s Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved, this could serve as a marine-themed companion to that, though it very much stands on its own.
The bulk of Ancient Sea Reptiles concerns the five major groups of marine reptiles: the ichthyosaurs, the plesiosaurs, the thalattosuchians (or sea crocs), the mosasaurs, and the sea turtles. Each chapter begins by describing the group’s general characteristics, followed by a closer look at the sub-categories within each clade, generally following their presumed evolutionary sequence.
Just because the five groups previously mentioned get the most attention doesn’t mean they represent the totality of marine reptiles, however. The book also devotes a chapter to various smaller groups of marine reptiles, some of which may have been ancestral to the major groups, while others represent their own branches. These include the mesosaurs (not to be confused with mosasaurs), thalattosaurs (not to be confused with thalattosuchians), sea snakes, nothosaurs, and more.
Naish doesn’t shy away from technical terms, but neither is the text too difficult a read for laypersons. It is highly detailed, discussing many of the finer points of anatomy, family relationships, and inferred lifestyles of the various featured taxa. Various other authors and studies are also mentioned, such as the plesiosaur motion studies of Luke Muscutt (who shared said research in a talk at TetZooCon 2023).
Ancient Sea Reptiles is also fully illustrated, with lots of detailed diagrams, paleoart restorations, and photographs of relevant fossil specimens. Works by several star paleoartists pepper its pages, including pieces by Mark Witton, Bob Nicholls, and more. The book is much more informative and engaging for including the artwork that it does.
I consider Ancient Sea Reptiles an absolute must-have for fans of prehistoric life. Its comprehensive overview of all the major family groups of Mesozoic sea reptiles makes it a valuable addition to any paleonerd’s book collection. While the target demographic skews older than my usual audience, I recommend it to anyone looking for a deeper dive into the subject of marine reptiles (pun intended). I happily give it my Dino Dad Stomp of Approval.
For more books written and/or informed by Darren Naish, see my reviews of Dinopedia: A Brief Compendium of Dinosaur Lore, Where On Earth? Dinosaurs, 199 Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals, the Build Your Own Dinosaurs Sticker Book, and Ultimate Dinopedia.
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