Macroplata
| Macroplata Temporal range: Early Jurassic, | |
|---|---|
| Restoration of Macroplata tenuiceps | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | †Sauropterygia |
| Order: | †Plesiosauria |
| Family: | †Rhomaleosauridae |
| Genus: | †Macroplata Swinton, 1930 |
| Type species | |
| †Macroplata tenuiceps Swinton, 1930 | |
Macroplata (meaning "big plate") is an extinct genus of Early Jurassic rhomaleosaurid plesiosaur which grew up to 4.65 metres (15.3 ft) in length. Like other plesiosaurs, Macroplata probably lived on a diet of fish, using its sharp needle-like teeth to catch prey. Its shoulder bones were fairly large, indicating a powerful forward stroke for fast swimming. Macroplata also had a relatively long neck, twice the length of the skull, in contrast to pliosaurs. It is known from a nearly complete skeleton NHMUK PV R5488 (formerly BMNH R 5488) from the Blue Lias Formation (Hettangian) of Harbury, Warwickshire, UK.
A different species, Macroplata longirostris (previously called Plesiosaurus longirostris), which lived somewhat later, during the Toarcian stage, was also included in the genus; however, in 2011, Benson et al. reclassified it as a pliosaurid in the genus Hauffiosaurus, H. longirostris.