Anshunsaurus huangguoshuensis (Liu 1999) was originally considered a sauropterygian on the basis of a single skull in dorsal view. More complete material helped determine its thalattosaur affinities. Liu and Rieppel (2005) considered Anshunsaurus a sister to Askeptosaurus as recovered here. In the large reptile study Anshunsaurus and Askeptosaurus nest as sisters to Miodentosaurus.

The pectoral and pelvic girdles were more robust in Anshunsaurus, despite the reduction in size. The limbs were relatively larger. There was no fusion in digit 4 in either the manus or pes, but the medial four toes may have been enclosed within a flipper because the bones interlock with one another and the PILS are atypical for a walking animal.

Liu J 1999. New discovery of sauropterygian from Triassic of Guizhou, China. Chinese Science Bulletin 44: 1312–1315.

Liu J and Rieppel O 2005. Restudy of Anshunsaurus huangguoshuensis (Reptilia: Thalattosauria) from the Middle Triassic of Guizhou, China. American Museum Noviates 3488: 1–34. ISSN 0003-0082.

Rieppel O, Liu J and Li C 2006. A new species of the thalattosaur genus Anshunsaurus (Reptilia: Thalattosauria) from the Middle Triassic of Guizhou Province, southwestern China. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 44: 285–296.

Liu J 2007. A juvenile specimen of Anshunsaurus (Reptilia: Thalattosauria). American Museum Noviates 3582: 1–9. ISSN 0003-008.

Cheng L, Chen, X and Wang C 2007. A new species of Late Triassic Anshunsaurus (Reptilia: Thalattosauria) from Guizhou Province. Acta Geologica Sinica 81 (10): 1345–1351.

wiki/Anshunsaurus