While Steven Spielberg’s revolutionary film, Jurᴀssic Park, features numerous dinosaur species, it notably excludes aquatic creatures for very specific reasons. During the age of dinosaurs, creatures living in the oceans weren’t actually called dinosaurs, but they were known as aquatic or marine reptiles. This species didn’t appear in the Jurᴀssic Park timeline until the second trilogy. Even then, their presence was minor compared to the many terrestrial dinosaurs featured in the franchise, such as the iconic Tyrannosaurus Rex and the various Raptors. Given how intriguing aquatic reptiles are, it’s a shame that the original Jurᴀssic Park didn’t explore it further.

The cloning process in Jurᴀssic Park is incredibly complex, but it does create numerous opportunities for both captivating storylines and varied dinosaur appearances throughout the series. Even with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard’s installments introducing more marine species, as well as genetically engineered dinosaurs elusive to the Jurᴀssic World films, it’s still surprising that creatures like the Mosasaurus or Plesiosaurus are absent from the original trilogy. As Jurᴀssic World Rebirth shifts its focus to the marine life of these particular eras, it is an ideal time to delve into why the original Jurᴀssic Park omitted them from its story.

Most Aquatic Species Existed During The Late Mesozoic Era

Jurᴀssic Park’s Clones Were From An Earlier Era Than The Aquatic Reptiles

Without question, marine reptiles were some of the most intriguing and dangerous species during the age of the dinosaurs. While it would have been exciting to feature more of these creatures in the first Jurᴀssic Park trilogy, their proper introduction by the franchise wasn’t feasible until Jurᴀssic World and Jurᴀssic World Rebirth.

This is because the dinosaurs in Spielberg’s hit feature were cloned from the Mesozoic Era, during the period when fewer aquatic species existed. Many species during the Triᴀssic and Jurᴀssic periods were just beginning to adapt to water, and many major aquatic species lived during the late stage of the Cretaceous period.

It is important to note that the “Great Dying,” also referred to as the Permian-Triᴀssic extinction, decimated marine life. As the biggest mᴀss extinction in Earth’s history, the event effectively put an end to the Paleozoic era and decimated all life, beginning the Mesozoic era by wiping out nearly all species. As a consequence, the Mesozoic period did witness the rise of new marine life, but it was not until the later stages of the Cretaceous period that marine life dominated the waters. Prominent marine species, like the Mosasaurus, only existed at the very end of the Cretaceous period.

While many of the dinosaurs we see in Jurᴀssic Park are from the Mesozoic era, this timeframe is divided into the Triᴀssic, Jurᴀssic, and Cretaceous periods. The terrestrial species were far more prominent during all these eras, and this is the core appeal of Jurᴀssic Park. Bringing notable species to life on the big screen, such as the Tyrannosaurus Rex or Brachiosaurus, was the primary focus as they offered more immediate and visceral threats, as well as a sense of profound wonder. This largely accounts for the absence of aquatic species in the original Jurᴀssic Park film.

Jurᴀssic Park’s Premise Didn’t Support Cloning Aquatic Reptiles

Jurᴀssic Park’s Premise Naturally Led To Its Emphasis On Terrestrial Species

Given Jurᴀssic Park‘s central idea, it was logical to concentrate on land-dwelling species. The dinosaurs were cloned from DNA extracted from fossilized mosquitoes found in preserved pieces of amber. The mosquitoes contained blood from numerous dinosaur species that existed before their extinction, and this DNA was implanted into eggs that were incubated and observed until they hatched. Dr. Alan Grant later discovered the dinosaurs were breeding, and recalled Jurᴀssic Park‘s video revealing they used frog DNA “to fill in the gene sequence gaps, [and] they mutated the dinosaur genetic code and blended it with that of a frog.”

The most critical step of cloning in Jurᴀssic Park is locating the DNA. While it’s a viable option to extract DNA from fossil bones, the most successful way to collect is from amber, as it can perfectly preserve the tissue of any dinosaur. As a result, it would be incredibly difficult to clone marine reptiles. As mosquitoes likely didn’t feed on marine creatures, Richard Hammond and his team would likely have been unable to obtain the DNA with relative ease. It’s probable that Mosasaurus’s emergence in Jurᴀssic World was due to the significantly longer development period it would have demanded.

Subsequent installments introduced even greater logistical complications for the cloning process in Jurᴀssic Park and Jurᴀssic World. Much of this can be attributed to Maisie Lockwood, introduced in Jurᴀssic World: Fallen Kingdom as a clone of Benjamin Lockwood’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅ daughter. If the films intended to explore this storyline, then introducing marine species more extensively in later installments became more feasible. While the Jurᴀssic World movies delved more into aquatic life than the original trilogy, the upcoming Jurᴀssic World Rebirth seems poised to significantly explore what the first Jurᴀssic Park film could not.

Aquatic Reptiles Later Appeared In Camp Cretaceous

Jurᴀssic World: Camp Cretaceous Expands The Aquatic & Semiaquatic Species

The Netflix original animated series, Jurᴀssic World: Camp Cretaceous, later introduced far more aquatic and semiaquatic species into the universe. This includes the infamous Mosasaurus, as well as the Xiphactinus and Shonisaurus, which are mentioned within the parameters of the series. We see the Camp Cretaceous campers exploring the Mosasaurus-infested waters at sea during one notable scene. The Mosasaurus is a recurring species in the animated series and is one of the only sea-dwelling predators in the franchise. This is mostly as it’s considered one of the most fascinating species of the Jurᴀssic universe, and the most recognizable aquatic reptile.

In addition, Jurᴀssic World: Camp Cretaceous features a terrifying semiaquatic reptile. The Nothosaurus made its first appearance in season 5 of Jurᴀssic World: Camp Cretaceous, episode 4, “Evasive Action,” and was last seen in episode 9, “The Core.” With its razor-sharp teeth and webbed fins, the Nothosaurus spent most of its time in the water. However, the species was understood to have ventured onto land for hunting or nesting. These marine reptiles posed a significant threat to the characters in the animated series, highlighting their immense power and threat, despite their absence from the original Jurᴀssic Park movie.