Legendary

Shonisaurus

Shonisaurus popularis

SHON-ih-SORE-us· “Shoshone Mountains lizard”

🌊 Marine reptile🕰️ Triassic🐟 piscivore🦴 Shastasauridae

15 m

Length

3 m

Height

30 t

Weight

A gigantic Triassic ichthyosaur — one of the largest marine reptiles ever, reaching around 15 metres. Dozens of skeletons lie together at one Nevada site, and it is now the state fossil. A marine reptile, not a dinosaur.

When

Late Triassic, ~215 million years ago

Found in

United States

Discovered

Charles Camp, 1920

Did you know?

One of the largest ichthyosaurs, at around 15 metres long.
Dozens died together at a single Nevada site, now a state park.
It is the state fossil of Nevada.

Artwork: Dmitry Bogdanov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.