Morturneria

Morturneria is an extinct genus of plesiosaur from the Late Cretaceous of what is now Antarctica.

==History of research== The Lopez de Bertodano Formation is located on Seymour Island, Antarctica, with exposures present in all but the northernmost third of the island. During the summers of 1981–1982, 1983–1984, and 1984–1985, paleontological expeditions recovered eight partial plesiosaur skeletons in the formation. One of these, TTU P9219, consisted of a skull and some cervical vertebrae. It was found in the upper part of the formation, informally known as the 'molluscan units', high up in a ravine. It was preserved within a tough, calcareous nodule, from which it was difficult to remove. While excavating the specimens, the dig teams faced difficulty in removing the strata above the fossils, due to the presence of permafrost. The cold temperatures also prevented the plaster from setting, so the teams used camp stoves and aluminium foil to heat it up, allowing it to harden. The specimen was prepared with the usage of power tools and acetic acid to remove the surrounding rock.