Shastasauria
Shastasauria is a traditionally recognized group within the ichthyosaurs, a clade of extinct marine reptiles. Named after the genus Shastasaurus, the group was used to describe a variety of early, often large-bodied ichthyosaurs from Triassic rocks. Fossils are primarily known from Early to Middle Triassic deposits in western North America, with additional finds in Europe and Asia. The group is notable for including long-snouted forms and a range of skull and dentition patterns, illustrating early experimentation in ichthyosaur evolution.
The taxonomic status of Shastasauria has been contentious. Modern phylogenetic analyses frequently treat it as a
Morphology and ecology within Shastasauria show notable diversity but common ichthyosaur adaptations to a marine lifestyle,
Significance: Shastasauria provides insight into early ichthyosaur evolution and the diversity of Triassic marine reptiles during