Muraenosaurinae
| Cryptoclidids Temporal range: Middle Jurassic - Early Cretaceous, 165–130 Ma |
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| Life restoration of Muraenosaurus leedsi | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | †Sauropterygia |
| Order: | †Plesiosauria |
| Clade: | † |
| Family: |
†Cryptoclididae Williston, 1925 |
| Genera | |
Cryptoclididae is a family of medium-sized plesiosaurs that existed from the middle Jurassic to the early Cretaceous period. 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.
In 2010, two supposed late Cretaceous members of the group were reclassified as other kinds of plesiosauroids. Kaiwhekea was reclassified to , and Aristonectes was transferred to Elasmosauridae.
Cladogram based on Ketchum and Benson (2010):
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