Cryptoclidus
Cryptoclidus was a plesiosaur, an aquatic reptile up to 13 feet (4 m) long. It had curved, interlocking teeth, a wide skull, and large, flexible, paddle-like flippers. The fragile head and teeth could not deal with large prey. That suggests a diet of small, soft-bodied animals such as squid and small shoaling fish.
| Cryptoclidus Temporal range: Middle Jurassic
166–164 mya | |
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| skeleton cast of Cryptoclidus University of Tübingen | |
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| Genus: | †Cryptoclidus
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Cryptoclidus fossils have been found in England, France, Russia and possibly South America.
Cryptoclidus was named by Seeley in 1892. The type species is C. eurymerus.
Cryptoclidus Media
Life reconstruction of C. eurymerus
Skeleton of Cryptoclidus (AMNH 995),
Life restoration of C. oxoniensis, currently considered a dubious species synonymous with C. eurymerus
