Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised May 31, 2026

Luning Formation

The Luning Formation is a geologic formation in Nevada. It preserves fossils dating back to the Triassic period. The lowermost strata dates to the late Carnian-early Norian boundary.

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May 31, 2026
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Luning Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Carnian-Early Norian
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TypeFormation
Location
RegionNevada
CountryUnited States

The Luning Formation is a geologic formation in Nevada. It preserves fossils dating back to the Triassic period. The lowermost strata dates to the late Carnian-early Norian boundary.

Fossil content

The Luning Formation contains significant fossils of invertebrate fauna such as ammonites, bivalves and brachiopods. The site is known for its ichthyosaur fossils.

Vertebrates

Vertebrates reported from the Luning Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Actinopterygii West Union Canyon.2 S. kerri ammonoid zone.2 Small fish bones.2 An indeterminate bony fish.
Chondrichthyes West Union Canyon2 K. macrolobatus ammonoid zone.2 An elasmobranch fin spine.2 An indeterminate cartilaginous fish.
Metapolygnathus M. primitius Pilot & Cedar Mountains.3 Conodont elements.3 A conodont.
Shonisaurus S. popularis West Union Canyon, Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park.2 Remains of approximately 40 individuals.4 A large ichthyosaur.
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Vertebrata indet. West Union Canyon.2 S. kerri ammonoid zone or above.2 Indeterminate bone fragments.2

Invertebrates

Arthropods

Arthropods reported from the Luning Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Platypleon P. nevadensis A fragmentary specimen containing two pleonal segments and the proximal portion of the left uropods.5 A decapod.
Pseudoglyphea P. mulleri Carapace.5 A litogastrid decapod.
Rosagammarus R. minichiellus Shoshone Mountains.56 Right half of a tail.5 A lobster-like decapod, originally misidentified as a giant amphipod.6

Brachiopods

Brachiopods reported from the Luning Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Balatonospira? B.? cf. B. lipoldi Dunlap Canyon & Cinnabar Canyon.7 Lower Member.7 Numerous specimens.7 A spiriferidan.
Plectoconcha P. aequiplicata Berlin-Ichthyosaur state park & Pilot Mountains.7 Limestone and secondary dolomite member, & Lower Member.7 Numerous specimens.7 A terebratulid.
P. newbyi Dunlap Canyon & Cinnabar Canyon.7 Lower Member.7 Numerous specimens.7 A terebratulid.
Rhaetina R. gregaria Cinnabar & Dunlap Canyons, & Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park.7 Lower Member & limestone and secondary dolomite member.7 Around 10 specimens.7 A terebratulidan.
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Spondylospira S. lewesensis Dunlap Canyon & Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park.7 Lower Member.7 3 complete specimens, 1 brachial & 2 pedicle valves.7 A spiniferidan.
Zeilleria Z. cf. Z. elliptica Dunlap & Cinnabar Canyons.7 Lower Member.7 Over 12 specimens.7 A zeilleriid.
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Zugmayerella Z. uncinata Dunlap Canyon & Cinnabar Canyon.7 Lower Member. 7 Numerous specimens.7 A spiniferidan.
?Z. sp. 14.5 km east of Mina, Nevada.7 Probably Lower Member.7 A pedicle valve (UMIP 6952).7 A spiniferidan.

Cephalopods

Cephalopods reported from the Luning Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Guembelites G. clavatus Pilot Mountains & Shoshone Mountains.3 An ammonite.
G. jandianus Pilot Mountains & Shoshone Mountains.3 An ammonite.
G. philostrati Pilot Mountains & Shoshone Mountains.3 An ammonite.
Pararcestes P. sp. Mustang Canyon locality & Dunlap Canyon.3 An ammonite.
Stikinoceras S. kerri Pilot Mountains & Shoshone Mountains.3 An ammonite.
Thisbites T. sp. Pilot Mountains & Shoshone Mountains.3 An ammonite.

Cnidarians

Cnidarians reported from the Luning Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Ampakabastrea A. cowichanensis Dunlap Canyon, Mina vicinity & Mineral County, Nevada.3 6 specimens.3 A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation.
Areaseris A. nevadaensis Dunlap Canyon.3 Multiple specimens.3 A stony coral also found in California.
Astraeomorpha A. confusa Dunlap Canyon.3 2 specimens.3 A stony coral.
Ceriostella C. martini Pilot Mountains & east of Mina.3 6 specimens.3 A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation.
C. parva Pilot Mountains.3 3 specimens.3 A stony coral also found in Alaska.
Curtoseris C. dunlapcanyonae Dunlap Canyon.3 UMIP 17010.3 A stony coral also found in Alaska & Peru.
Distichomeandra D. cf. minor Cedar Mountains (Dicalite Summit).3 UMIP 26869.3 A stony coral.
Flexastrea F. serialis Mineral County, Nevada.3 4 specimens. A stony coral.
Khytrastrea K. cuifiamorpha Dunlap Canyon.3 UMIP 7465 & 7480.3 A stony coral.
K. silberlingi Dunlap Canyon.3 UMIP 17002-1.3 A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation.
Margarogyra M. silberlingi Mineral County, Nevada.3 A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation.
Margarophyllidae undetermined genus East of Mina, Pilot Mountains.3 Fragmentary, recrystallized specimen (UMIP 6676).3 A stony coral.
Meandrovolzeia M. sp. Pilot Mountains.3 A colony fragment UMIP 6720.3 A stony coral.
Minasteria M. shastensis Pilot Mountains & Mina vicinity.3 7 specimens.3 A stony coral also found in California.
Nevadoseris N. punctata Dunlap & Cinnabar Canyons.3 Multiple specimens.3 A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation.
Plectodiscus P. berlinensis West Union Canyon, Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park.8 UCMP 38211.8 A chondrophore.
Retiophyllia R. nevadae Mineral County, Nevada.3 UCMP 153092.3 A stony coral.
R. sp. Dunlap Canyon.3 Fragments of corallites.3 A stony coral.
Thamnasteria T. cf. smithi Dunlap & Cinnabar canyons.3 2 specimens.3 A thamnasteriid coral.
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Sponges

Sponges reported from the Luning Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Polycystocoelia P. silberlingi Garfield Hills.9 Lower Member.9 Oe specimen (UMIP 6653).9 A demosponge.
See also

See also

References

References

  1. Balini, M.; Jenks, James F.; Martin, R.; McRoberts, Christopher A.; Orchard, Michael J.; Silberling, Norman J. (2015). "The Carnian/Norian boundary succession at Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park (Upper Triassic, central Nevada, USA)". Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 89 (3): 399–433. Bibcode:2015PalZ...89..399B. doi:10.1007/s12542-014-0244-2. hdl:2434/259929.
  2. Kelley, Neil P.; Irmis, Randall B.; dePolo, Paige E.; Noble, Paula J.; Montague-Judd, Danielle; Little, Holly; Blundell, Jon; Rasmussen, Cornelia; Percival, Lawrence M.E.; Mather, Tamsin A.; Pyenson, Nicholas D. (December 2022). "Grouping behavior in a Triassic marine apex predator". Current Biology. 32 (24): 5398–5405.e3. Bibcode:2022CBio...32E5398K. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.11.005. ISSN 0960-9822. PMID 36538877. S2CID 254874088.
  3. Roniewicz, Ewa; Stanley, George D. (September 2013). "Upper Triassic corals from Nevada, western North America, and the implications for paleoecology and paleogeography". Journal of Paleontology. 87 (5): 934–964. Bibcode:2013JPal...87..934R. doi:10.1666/12-081. ISSN 0022-3360. S2CID 130114030.
  4. Montague-Judd, Danielle; Parrish, Judith Totman (1996). "Paleoceanographic Setting of the Upper Triassic Luning Formation (Nevada) and Implications for the Distribution of Shonisaurus (Diapsida: Ichthyosauria)". The Paleontological Society Special Publications. 8: 279. doi:10.1017/S2475262200002811. ISSN 2475-2622.
  5. Hegna, Thomas; Starr, Hunter; McMenamin, Mark (June 2016). "Epilogue to the tale of the Triassic amphipod: Rosagammarus McMenamin, Zapata and Hussey, 2013 is a decapod tail (Luning Formation, Nevada, USA)". Journal of Crustacean Biology. 36 (4): 525–529. Bibcode:2016JCBio..36..525H. doi:10.1163/1937240X-00002444. ISSN 0278-0372.
  6. McMenamin, Mark A. S.; Zapata, Lesly P.; Hussey, Meghan C. (2013). "A Triassic Giant Amphipod from Nevada, USA". Journal of Crustacean Biology. 33 (6): 751–759. Bibcode:2013JCBio..33..751Z. doi:10.1163/1937240X-00002192. ISSN 0278-0372. JSTOR 43836791.
  7. Sandy, Stanley Jr, Michael R., George D. (July 1993). "Late Triassic brachiopods from the Luning Formation, Nevada, and their palaeobiogeographical significance". The Palaeontological Association. 36: 439–480.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. Hogler, Jennifer A.; Hanger, Rex A. (1989). "A New Chondrophorine (Hydrozoa, Velellidae) from the Upper Triassic of Nevada". Journal of Paleontology. 63 (2): 249–251. Bibcode:1989JPal...63..249H. doi:10.1017/S0022336000019296. ISSN 0022-3360. JSTOR 1305362. S2CID 131299201.
  9. Senowbari-Daryan, Baba; Stanley, George D. (March 1992). "Late Triassic thalamid sponges from Nevada". Journal of Paleontology. 66 (2): 183–193. Bibcode:1992JPal...66..183S. doi:10.1017/S0022336000033692. ISSN 0022-3360. S2CID 132344431.