North American Dragon

They say that dragons are only part of folklore. That they are they are only capable of guarding treasure, breathing fire, and capturing princesses. But dragons are real.

At least, they once were real. No, they did not shoot fire from their gut, or prevented a certain plumber from saving a damsel in another castle. This dragon did fly, but in water not in the air. And without wings.

This ancient dragon that swims across the great seaway that would later erode and dry into a landscape known as North Dakota is called Plioplatecarpus. He was much smaller than is cousin Mosasaurus but just as deadly. This beast glided weightless across the warm salty sea, his serpentine eyes scanning the horizon. He then spots a speck of movement. An injured Ammonite bobbing up and down rang Plioplatecarpus' dinner bells. With a great thrust from his flipper-like limbs, Plioplatecarpus lunged towards his prey.

CHOMP! The killer jaws severed the poor Ammonite from its empty shell. The other portion minced into a bloody cloud of bits and meat as Plioplatecarpus swallowed it whole.

Remember, not all dragons appear in fairy tales. They were more real than you could imagine.