For the Carnian Alps, see Carnic Alps.

The Carnian (sometimes Karnian) is a stage on the geologic time scale occurring from 228 ± 2 to 216.5 ± 2 million years ago. Named after the Carnian Alps (a term first used by Mojsisovics in 1869), this stage saw the dominance of the archosaurs and the diminution in size of the therapsids, or mammal-like reptiles.

It is the first stage of the Late Triassic Epoch, in the Triassic Period.

Fauna

---

The following is only a partial list

Temnospondyli

• Cyclotosaurus
• Metoposaurus

Ichthyosaurs

• Californosaurus
• Shastasaurus
• Shonisaurus

Archosauromorphs

• Hyperodepedon
• Trilophosaurus

Non-dnosaurian archosaurs

• Palaeorhinus
• Rutiodon
• Doswellia
• Ornithosuchus
• Saurosuchus
• Postosuchus
• Stagonolepis
• Desmatosuchus
• Hesperosuchus

Dinosaurs

• Azendohsaurus
• Blikanasaurus (considered Norian by some researchers)
• Euskelosaurus (considered Norian by some researchers)
• Guaibasaurus
• Pisanosaurus
• Teyuwasu

Synapsids

• Placerias
• Exaeretodon

Sources

---

• Palaeos Mesozoic: Carnian Age
• DinoData

Triassic

Carnien | Carniano | Karnij