Kingdom Animalia Node †Hueneosauria Family †Shastasauridae Rank Genus | Class Reptilia Node †Merriamosauria Phylum Chordata Order Ichthyosaur | |
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Similar Ichthyosaur, Shastasauridae, Mixosauria, Phalarodon, Shastasaurus | ||
Guanlingsaurus is an extinct genus of shastasaurid ichthyosaur from the Late Triassic of China. It grew up to 10 metres (33 ft) in length and has a wide, triangular skull with a short and toothless snout. It is known from a single species, Guanlingsaurus liangae, that was found in the Carnian-age Falang Formation of Guanling County, which is in the province of Guizhou. The genus and species were first named in 2000 on the basis of an incomplete adult skeleton. More complete skeletons were described in 2011, and a complete skeleton belonging to a juvenile was described in 2013. In 2011 Guanlingsaurus liangae was reassigned to the genus Shastasaurus, which includes two species from North America that are known from more complete fossils than Guanlingsaurus. However, the description of the juvenile specimen in 2013 revealed several features that make G. liangae distinct from Shastasaurus species, and the name was reinstated.