What was Tanystropheus? 

A correspondent has brought THIS ARTICLE to my attention. And the answer, according to the researchers, is an aquatic creature. And not one I would like to meet in a non-fossilised form - it was active 242m years ago. It was up to 6 metres long, with a long stiff neck. Fortunately its head, and teeth were small.

The researchers conclude that there were two species of Tanystropheus - the larger hydroides and the smaller longobardicus. The newspaper article is based on THIS ARTICLE which has all the details.

An artist’s impression of Tanystropheus, fossils of which were first found around 150 years ago. Photograph: Emma Finley-Jacob/University of Zurich/Current Biology