Shonisaurus fossil map
Where fossils of Shonisaurus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 215 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 215 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 | Ichthyosaurs |
|---|---|
| Lived | 233.6–201.4 million years ago (Carnian to Rhaetian) |
| Periods | Triassic |
| Family | Shastasauridae |
| Named by | Camp 1976 |
| Fossil records | 5 occurrences at 3 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Italy, Germany |
| Rock formations | Luning, Durrenstein, Exter |
About Shonisaurus
Shonisaurus is a genus of very large ichthyosaurs. At least 37 incomplete fossil specimens of the type species, Shonisaurus popularis, have been found in the Luning Formation of Nevada, United States. This formation dates to the late Carnian-early Norian age of the Late Triassic, around 227 million years ago. Other possible species of Shonisaurus have been discovered from the middle Norian deposits of Canada and Alaska.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Shonisaurus (revision 1368724645), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 22 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in.
