Microcleidus fossil map
Where fossils of Microcleidus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 175 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 175 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Plesiosaurs & kin |
|---|---|
| Lived | 184.2–174.7 million years ago (Toarcian) |
| Periods | Jurassic |
| Family | Microcleididae |
| Named by | Watson 1909 |
| Fossil records | 9 occurrences at 6 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United Kingdom, Germany, France, Luxembourg |
| Rock formations | txn:234402, Alum Shale, Posidonia Shale |
About Microcleidus
Microcleidus is an extinct genus of sauropterygian reptile belonging to the Plesiosauroidea. The species has 40 neck vertebrae and a short tail of 28 vertebrae. Fossils of the genus have been found in France, the Posidonia Shale in Germany and Luxembourg, and the Alum Shale Formation of England.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Microcleidus (revision 1352617772), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q2462673.
