The notion that a species of pinniped may have evolved a
long neck, making it a mammalian equivalent of the plesiosaur, is a bizarre
notion but has found its advocates over the last hundred years or so. The
theory was created by Dutch scientist A. C. Ouedemans Jnr, as an attempt to definitively
explain sea serpent reports from around the world. His creation took the form
of a gigantic seal, megophias (below) with a long serpentine neck and tail, which might reach a
length of well over 100 ft (30m) and was described in his seminal work The Great Sea Serpent.
In the 1960s the father of cryptozoology, Bernard Heuvelmans, adapted the theory to incorporate two novel pinnipeds; the merhorse and long neck. These were presented in his seminal work, In the Wake of the Sea Serpents. Much smaller than megophias these would have still reached 30-60ft (9-18m), a size unknown in extant or archaic pinniped species. The merhorse was a deep sea pinniped, the archetypal sea horse of legend while the long neck was a species of sea lion which had evolved two novel snorkels. Although categorsised as seperate species most researchers have felt that sexual dimorphism, or differing sexual charateristics,could place them as one.
Long neck (top) and merhorse (bottom), used on Fair Use and non-commercial basis. Copyright Heuvelmans/Alika Watteau/Plon; In the Wake of the Sea Serpents.
Long neck (top) and merhorse (bottom), used on Fair Use and non-commercial basis. Copyright Heuvelmans/Alika Watteau/Plon; In the Wake of the Sea Serpents.
Later in the 1970s author Peter Costello revised the theory further in his book In Search of Lake Monsters reducing some of its size, this time to around 30ft (9m), omitting its snorkels, but giving it ears.Costello explored the theory in more detail and presented reports of sea serpents and lake monsters from around the world which he thought might be explained by such a creature.
After this time the theory went into something of a decline as the popularity for surviving plesiosaurs continued to be shaped by Loch Ness.
However over 40 years later in its more modern form it still remains elusive.
In the 1980s however, fossil evidence suggested that at least two species of extinct true seals (phocid), had evolved a slightly more elongated neck; Acrophoca longirostris and Piscophoca pacifica In Acrophoca longirostris however this equated to only an extra 2% of neck length, although it showed that such adaption had taken place and may have gone further.
Then in the 1990s cryptozoologist Scott Mardis brought the worlds attention to an intriguing description of an apparent long necked seal, scientifically described in 1750 in A Dissertation upon the Class of the phocae marinae by Dr James Parsons. Although there is a probable alternative origin for this specimen, it helped briefly infuse the theory with some fresh interest.
The present authors feel that although a speculative framework of existence for such an animal can be built, if it exists it is more likely to resemble the size and shape of extant fur seals and sea lions, the neck being perhaps slightly longer and more distinct than present species.
(© Peter Costello/Brian Froud/Panther Books)
After this time the theory went into something of a decline as the popularity for surviving plesiosaurs continued to be shaped by Loch Ness.
However over 40 years later in its more modern form it still remains elusive.
In the 1980s however, fossil evidence suggested that at least two species of extinct true seals (phocid), had evolved a slightly more elongated neck; Acrophoca longirostris and Piscophoca pacifica In Acrophoca longirostris however this equated to only an extra 2% of neck length, although it showed that such adaption had taken place and may have gone further.
Then in the 1990s cryptozoologist Scott Mardis brought the worlds attention to an intriguing description of an apparent long necked seal, scientifically described in 1750 in A Dissertation upon the Class of the phocae marinae by Dr James Parsons. Although there is a probable alternative origin for this specimen, it helped briefly infuse the theory with some fresh interest.
The present authors feel that although a speculative framework of existence for such an animal can be built, if it exists it is more likely to resemble the size and shape of extant fur seals and sea lions, the neck being perhaps slightly longer and more distinct than present species.
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