Nothosaurus zhangi was named by Liu et al. (2014) [A gigantic species of Nothosauria whose size approached or slightly exceeded that of Nothosaurus giganteus, the largest known Triassic sauropterygian. The new species differs from N. giganteus by the presence of a short mandibular symphysis, a relatively higher neural spine, a distinct medial expansion of the prearticular (autapomorphy among Sauropterygia), and a distinctly short retroarticular process (autapomorphy among Nothosauria).]. Its type specimen is LPV 20167, a partial skeleton (a complete lower jaw associated with partial postcranial skeleton), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Nothosaurus zhangi-type locality, which is in a Pelsonian marine horizon in the Guanling Formation of China.