Albertonectes fossil map
Where fossils of Albertonectes have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 75 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 75 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 | 83.6–72.2 million years ago (Campanian) |
| Periods | Cretaceous |
| Family | Elasmosauridae |
| Named by | Kubo et al. 2012 |
| Fossil records | 1 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Canada |
| Rock formations | Bearpaw Shale |
About Albertonectes
Albertonectes (meaning 'Alberta swimmer') is an extinct genus of large plesiosaurs that lived in North America during the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, at around 73.5 million years ago. The only known species is A. vanderveldei, described in 2012 from an almost complete postcranial skeleton discovered in 2007 near Lethbridge, in the province of Alberta, Canada. Although currently only documented from the holotype, a possible second specimen was discovered in 2015 in the same locality.
With a maximum length estimated at 12.1 metres (40 ft), Albertonectes is the longest known elasmosaurid. Like the other representatives of this group, it has a streamlined body with paddle-like limbs, a short tail, a small head, and an extremely long neck. The neck alone is estimated at around 7 meters (23 ft) long, making Albertonectes one of the animals with the longest known necks. It is also the vertebrate with the greatest number of cervical vertebrae identified to date, 76, ahead of its close relative Elasmosaurus.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Albertonectes (revision 1381089647), 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: Q149959.
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