Cryptoclididae

Cryptoclidids Temporal range: Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Skeleton of Cryptoclidus eurymerus at the Museum of Paleontology, Tuebingen
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Superorder:	†Sauropterygia
Order:	†Plesiosauria
Clade:	†Cryptoclidia
Family:	†Cryptoclididae Williston, 1925
Genera
†Opallionectes? Colymbosaurinae †Abyssosaurus †Colymbosaurus †Djupedalia †Ophthalmothule[1] †Pantosaurus †Spitrasaurus Muraenosaurinae †Muraenosaurus †Picrocleidus †Tricleidus? †Vinialesaurus[2] Cryptoclidinae †Cryptoclidus †Kimmerosaurus †Tatenectes †Tricleidus?

Cryptoclididae is a family of medium-sized plesiosaurs that existed from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. They had long necks, broad and short skulls and densely packed teeth. They fed on small soft-bodied preys such as small fish and crustaceans. The earliest members of the family appeared during the early Bajocian, and they represented the dominant group of long-necked plesiosaurs during the latter half of the Jurassic.^[3]

Classification

In 2010, two supposed late Cretaceous members of the group were reclassified as other kinds of plesiosauroids. Kaiwhekea was reclassified to Leptocleididae, and Aristonectes was transferred to Elasmosauridae.^[4]

Cladogram based on Ketchum and Benson (2010):^[4]

References