Shastasaur

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Shastasaurs Fossil range: Triassic
Shastasaurus altispinus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Subclass: ?Diapsida Superorder: Ichthyopterygia Order: Ichthyosauria Infraorder: Shastasauria Montani, 1998 Family: Shastasauridae Merriam, 1895
Genera
Shonisaurus Shastasaurus

The shastasaurs were an early group of ichthyosaurs, living 230-210 million years ago, in the Triassic period. They had big heads with a long snout. They had reduced or no dorsal fins. Shastasaurs were the largest of all ichthyosaurs.

One species of the Western American shastasaurid, Shonisaurus, grew to 23 m long. Shastasaurs ate fish and other small aquatic animals, like ammonites. This group included the genera Shonisaurus, and Shastasaurus.

[edit] External links

• "Shastasaurus altispinus (Ichthyosauria, Shastasauridae) from the Upper Triassic of the El Antimonio District, Northwestern Sonora, Mexico"