It has been found in the Lower Cambrian Maotianshan Shale at Shankou village, Anning, near Kunming (South China).

[5] Doubts regarding Shankouclava's tunicate affinities arose in the context of a long-running debate that began when the paper announcing Shankouclava disputed the tunicate affinities of Cheungkongella, which was known from a single fossil discovered in 2001, and proposed that Cheungkongella is the junior synonym of Phlogites.

[6] This challenge relied on characteristics of newly-discovered Phlogites specimens despite the lack of obvious tentacles.

[4] A response several years later similarly questioned Shankouclava by way of new Shankouclava-like specimens that clearly display tentacles.

[7] While Shankouclava has not been equated with Phlogites, the presence of Phlogites-like tentacles would make a tunicate affinity unlikely.