Cryptoclidids Temporal range: Middle Jurassic -Early Cretaceous,170–130 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Skeleton ofCryptoclidus eurymerus at the Museum of Paleontology, Tuebingen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Superorder:	†Sauropterygia
Order:	†Plesiosauria
Superfamily:	†Plesiosauroidea
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 afamily of medium-sizedplesiosaurs that existed from the MiddleJurassic to the EarlyCretaceous. They had long necks, broad and short skulls and densely packed teeth. They fed on small soft-bodied preys such as small fish andcrustaceans. The earliest members of the family appeared during the earlyBajocian, and they represented the dominant group of long-necked plesiosaurs during the latter half of the Jurassic.^[3]

In 2010, two supposed late Cretaceous members of the group were reclassified as other kinds of plesiosauroids.Kaiwhekea was reclassified toLeptocleididae, andAristonectes was transferred toElasmosauridae.^[4]

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

• palaeos.com

• Cryptoclididae
• Jurassic plesiosaurs
• Cretaceous plesiosaurs
• Callovian first appearances
• Late Cretaceous extinctions
• Sauropterygian families

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