The formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has a complex history. The process began in 1175 with the Treaty of Windsor and reached its height in 1800 with the Act of Union. Scotland and Wales have reclaimed a new level of independence with their devolved parliamentary status.
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Plesiosauria - The genus Cryptoclidus consisted of medium sized specimens of the Plesiosauria order emerging during the Triassic period, over 200 million years ago. Cryptoclidus appeared during the late Jurassic period. It weighed 8 tonnes and grew to 8 meters in length. Despite having a bloated body, it may have been a fast and graceful swimmer feeding primarily on small soft-bodied animals. Cryptoclidus preferred the shallow oceans, but it has been suggested cryptoclidus may have heaved out of the water to breed.
