# 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.

## 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 |
| Actinopterygii | | West Union Canyon. | S. kerri ammonoid zone. | Small fish bones. | An indeterminate bony fish. |
| Chondrichthyes | | West Union Canyon | K. macrolobatus ammonoid zone. | An elasmobranch fin spine. | An indeterminate cartilaginous fish. |
| Metapolygnathus | M. primitius | Pilot & Cedar Mountains. | | Conodont elements. | A conodont. |
| Shonisaurus | S. popularis | West Union Canyon, Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park. | | Remains of approximately 40 individuals. | A large ichthyosaur. |
| Vertebrata indet. | | West Union Canyon. | S. kerri ammonoid zone or above. | Indeterminate bone fragments. | |

### Invertebrates

* Sagenites minaensis
* Spiriferina gregaria
* S. peneckei
* Terebratula debilis
* Terebratula suborbicularis
* Tibetothyris julica

#### Arthropods

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

#### Brachiopods

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

#### Cephalopods

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

#### Cnidarians

Cnidarians reported from the Luning Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Material | Notes |
| Ampakabastrea | A. cowichanensis | Dunlap Canyon, Mina vicinity & Mineral County, Nevada. | 6 specimens. | A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation. |
| Areaseris | A. nevadaensis | Dunlap Canyon. | Multiple specimens. | A stony coral also found in California. |
| Astraeomorpha | A. confusa | Dunlap Canyon. | 2 specimens. | A stony coral. |
| Ceriostella | C. martini | Pilot Mountains & east of Mina. | 6 specimens. | A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation. |
| Ceriostella | C. parva | Pilot Mountains. | 3 specimens. | A stony coral also found in Alaska. |
| Curtoseris | C. dunlapcanyonae | Dunlap Canyon. | UMIP 17010. | A stony coral also found in Alaska & Peru. |
| Distichomeandra | D. cf. minor | Cedar Mountains (Dicalite Summit). | UMIP 26869. | A stony coral. |
| Flexastrea | F. serialis | Mineral County, Nevada. | 4 specimens. | A stony coral. |
| Khytrastrea | K. cuifiamorpha | Dunlap Canyon. | UMIP 7465 & 7480. | A stony coral. |
| Khytrastrea | K. silberlingi | Dunlap Canyon. | UMIP 17002-1. | A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation. |
| Margarogyra | M. silberlingi | Mineral County, Nevada. | | A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation. |
| Margarophyllidae undetermined genus | | East of Mina, Pilot Mountains. | Fragmentary, recrystallized specimen (UMIP 6676). | A stony coral. |
| Meandrovolzeia | M. sp. | Pilot Mountains. | A colony fragment UMIP 6720. | A stony coral. |
| Minasteria | M. shastensis | Pilot Mountains & Mina vicinity. | 7 specimens. | A stony coral also found in California. |
| Nevadoseris | N. punctata | Dunlap & Cinnabar Canyons. | Multiple specimens. | A stony coral also found in the Osobb Formation. |
| Plectodiscus | P. berlinensis | West Union Canyon, Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park. | UCMP 38211. | A chondrophore. |
| Retiophyllia | R. nevadae | Mineral County, Nevada. | UCMP 153092. | A stony coral. |
| Retiophyllia | R. sp. | Dunlap Canyon. | Fragments of corallites. | A stony coral. |
| Thamnasteria | T. cf. smithi | Dunlap & Cinnabar canyons. | 2 specimens. | A thamnasteriid coral. |

#### Sponges

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