Macroplata

Macroplata Temporal range: 199–195 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓ Early Jurassic
Macroplata tenuiceps from the Early Jurassic of Europe
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Plesiosauria
Genus:	Macroplata
Species:	M. tenuiceps
Binomial name
Macroplata tenuiceps Swinton, 1930

Macroplata (meaning "big plate") is an extinct genus of Early Jurassic basal plesiosaur which grew up to 4.5 metres (15 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.

Plesiosaurus longirostris was once assigned to this genus, but it has been re-assigned to Hauffiosaurus, as H. longirostris.