Cretaceous
Shantungosaurus
Shantungosaurus giganteus
The catalogue presents Shantungosaurus as a herbivore member of Hadrosauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 100.5–72.2 Ma. Its estimated range is 14.7–16.6 m in length and 13.0–16.0 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Wangshi Formation, Shandong, China. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Shantungosaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Hu (1973).
The PBDB places it in Edmontosaurini, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Hadrosauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Hadrosauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Cenomanian to the Maastrichtian.
The PBDB catalogues 4 occurrences, with material from the Hongtuya Formation (3) and from the Shanyang/Hongtuling Formation (1). Provenance: China.
The catalogue records the holotype as GMV 1780-1 and the type locality as “Wangshi Formation, Shandong, China”.
- GMV 1780-1
- Wangshi Formation, Shandong, China
The catalogue's reference measurements are 14.7–16.6 m in length and 13.0–16.0 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 14.7-16.6 m
- 13.0-16.0 tons
The record gathers 27 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 14.7–16.6 m
- Weight
- 13.0–16.0 t
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 100.5–72.2 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1973
- Described by
- Hu Chengzhi
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Ornithischia
- Family
- Hadrosauridae
- Genus
- Shantungosaurus
- Species
- S. giganteus
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- GMV 1780-1
- Type locality
- Wangshi Formation, Shandong, China