Cretonanophyes punctatus was named by Liu and Ren (2007). Its type specimen is CNU-C-LB2006103, an exoskeleton, and it is a compression fossil. Its type locality is Huangbanjigou, Chaomidian Village (CNU collection), which is in a Barremian lacustrine - large mudstone in the Yixian Formation of China.

It was recombined as Montsecanomalus (Montsecanomalus) punctatus by Legalov (2010); it was recombined as Montsecanomalus punctatus by Legalov (2012).