Leptonectidae Temporal range: Late Triassic - Early Jurassic |
|
---|---|
Eurhinosaurus | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Sauropsida |
Superorder: | Ichthyopterygia |
Order: | Ichthyosauria |
Family: | Leptonectidae |
Genera | |
Eurhinosaurus
Excalibosaurus
Leptonectes
Wahlisaurus
Leptonectidae is a family of ichthyosaurs known from Early Jurassic marine deposits in Europe. They were all small to medium-sized creatures, most noted for their very long, swordfish-like snouts, which could have been used like a weapon, slashing through schools of fish.