Lagenanectes fossil map
Where fossils of Lagenanectes have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 130 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 130 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 | 132.6–125.77 million years ago (Hauterivian) |
| Periods | Cretaceous |
| Family | Elasmosauridae |
| Named by | Sachs et al. 2017 |
| Fossil records | 1 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Germany |
| Rock formations | Stadthagen |
About Lagenanectes
Lagenanectes is a genus of elasmosaurid plesiosaur from the Lower Cretaceous, found in Lower Saxony, Germany. The only species, Lagenanectes richterae, was first described in 2017, and is regarded as one of the best-preserved plesiosaur fossils from this geological age in Europe. Lagenanectes is one of the earliest elasmosaurids. The holotype is an incomplete skeleton, comprising large parts of the skull, some neck and tail vertebrae as well as ribs and part of the limbs. A length of about 8 meters (26 feet) has been estimated.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Lagenanectes (revision 1313803905), 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: Q39050753.
