Brevicaudosaurus fossil map
Where fossils of Brevicaudosaurus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 230 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 230 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 | 241.464–227.3 million years ago (Ladinian to Carnian) |
| Periods | Triassic |
| Family | Nothosauridae |
| Named by | Shang et al. 2020 |
| Fossil records | 2 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | China |
| Rock formations | txn:38170 |
About Brevicaudosaurus
Brevicaudosaurus is an extinct genus of marine sauropterygians from the Middle Triassic of China. The genus contains a single species, Brevicaudosaurus jiyangshanensis. It was a small animal; the holotype specimen measures approximately 58.8 centimetres (23.1 in) in total length. The body is broad and flat, with an unusually short and flattened tail compared to other related taxa, which indicates that it likely could not swim quickly and may have been a benthic carnivore. A juvenile specimen, about one-third the length of adult individuals, was described in 2025. In contrast to the fanglike teeth in the mature skulls, the teeth are small and conical in the juvenile.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Brevicaudosaurus (revision 1346137017), 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: Q109535729.
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