Day 28 brings quite a famous Triassic reptile, Tanystropheus. The strangeness of this animal cannot be understated. It was likely a semi-aquatic piscivorous predator with a neck longer than its torso and tail combined that was stiffened by cervical ribs and no adaptations that that would suggest a semi aquatic lifestyle such as webbed feet or a paddled tail. The only thing that suggests anything semi-aquatic is the length of its neck, which it would need water to support, but its body seems far more suited to a terrestrial lifestyle on first glance. This thing is so strange that it comes back around to being endearing. Every time I see this animal I'm reminded of how much I really quite like it. For colours I went for bright and vibrant, with a pattern similar to some sea snakes.

These coastal reptiles inhabit beaches and off shore reefs, using their bright colours to blend in with the coral and plants of their environment. They are easily one of the strangest creatures I've ever seen, with their relatively plump bodies and immensely thin, long neck. The use this neck to help hunt their prey. Their relatively small heads allow them to sneakily infiltrate a shoal of fish and and snatch one of them up before the rest of the group notices. They are quite crafty in this respect, and some of the coastal peoples have tamed the Tanystropheus to help them fish for food, and the are remarkably effective. Sometimes they even help to chase fish into the nets of the fishermen for quite a good haul. The unusual beasts are often seen laying on rocks and on the sand along the beaches, resting after hunting out on the water.