Futabasaurus Coloring Pages

The King of Japan's Seas! Futabasaurus

Futabasaurus was the first long-necked sea reptile found in Japan. Back when dinosaurs walked on land, it swam gracefully in the seas around Japan. It was truly a "King of the Sea!"

How It Got Its Name

Its name comes from the place where it was found and the person who found it.

• Futaba: People found it in rock layers called the Futaba Group in Iwaki City, Fukushima.

• Suzuki: A high school student named Tadashi Suzuki found it in 1968.

• In 2006, 38 years after the discovery, scientists officially recognized it as a new kind of sea reptile and gave it its official name.

Scientific Name

Its scientific name is Futabasaurus suzukii. Scientists all around the world use this name when they study this long-necked sea reptile from Japan.

When Did It Live?

Futabasaurus lived about 85 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. Dinosaurs were everywhere on land, and long-necked sea reptiles like Futabasaurus swam strongly in the ocean.

It Lived in the Seas of Japan!

Futabasaurus lived in the sea near what is now Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. The rock layers show that the Japanese sea was full of life back then.

Super Big Size

Futabasaurus was about 7 meters long!

• It had a super long neck. Its neck made up almost half of its whole body!

• It had a wide body and used four big flippers to glide smoothly through the water.

What Did It Eat?

Futabasaurus was a meat eater.

• It had sharp teeth. Scientists think it mostly ate fish and ammonites.

• It used its long neck to catch fast-swimming prey.

Cool Facts About Plesiosaurs (Not Dinosaurs!)

Many people think Futabasaurus was a dinosaur, but it was actually a sea reptile called a plesiosaur.

• Its legs turned into big flippers so it could live in the sea.

• It had big eyes and special bone shapes, like in its collarbone.

• Finding such a full, well-preserved skeleton in Japan surprised scientists all over the world!

The Model for "Pisuke" in Doraemon!

Futabasaurus is also famous from the popular anime Doraemon!

• Futabasaurus was the model for "Pisuke," Nobita's best friend in the movie Doraemon: Nobita's Dinosaur.

• In the story, Nobita hatches Pisuke from an egg, raises him, and takes him back home to ancient Japan.

Try using ocean camouflage colors!

Plesiosaurs lived in the ocean. To hide from enemies, a trick called "countershading" works great!

• Color the back with dark blue, deep green, or gray. This blends in when seen from above the sea.

• Color the belly with white or light beige. This blends with the sunlight when seen from below!

Patterns inspired by Piisuke

To make it look cute like Piisuke from Doraemon, try adding fun patterns!

• Draw light spots or wavy stripes on its back. It will look like a real creature!

• To make it look like Piisuke, mix in some slightly bright brown or orange shades overall.

Shade the flippers to look 3D

The four big flippers are the coolest part of Futabasaurus!

• Flippers are thick at the base and thin at the tips. Use dark colors at the base and lighter colors toward the tips to make them look 3D.

• Draw thin lines along the flippers. It will look like it is swimming with lots of power!

Draw ammonites and fish around it

Add cool things to the background to show the seas of Cretaceous Japan!

• Try adding ammonites floating around Futabasaurus. They were its favorite food!

• Draw thin yellow or white lines for sunlight shining through the water. It will look like a magical deep sea!

Eyes full of smart and gentle feelings

If you want a friendly face like Piisuke, how you color the eyes is key!

• Draw big eyes and color the center deep black. Then, add a tiny white dot of light!

• Just doing this makes Futabasaurus look smart, kind, and full of love!

Huge News Discovered by a High School Student!

In 1968, Futabasaurus was found in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, by a high school student named Tadashi Suzuki. It was the first full plesiosaur fossil ever found in Japan, and it was a huge discovery that surprised the whole country!

It's Actually Not a "Dinosaur"

Even though it lived during the age of dinosaurs, it isn't actually a dinosaur. Dinosaurs were reptiles that lived on land. But Futabasaurus belongs to a different group of reptiles called plesiosaurs that lived in the sea.

More Than Half Its Body Was Its "Neck"!

Its whole body was about 7 meters long, and more than half of that was its neck! People think it bent its long neck skillfully to snap up fish swimming in the sea.