Gaogou Formation

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Gaogou Formation
Stratigraphic range: Cenomanian-Coniacian
~96–88  Ma
Zhang Fengchen at Baby Louie locality.png
Zhang Fengchen at the Gaogou Formation
Type Geological formation
Sub-unitsUpper Member, Lower Member
Underlies Majiacun Formation
Overlies Baiwan Formation
Lithology
Primary Conglomerate
Other Mudstone
Location
Coordinates 33°24′N112°54′E / 33.4°N 112.9°E / 33.4; 112.9
Approximate paleocoordinates 32°42′N104°42′E / 32.7°N 104.7°E / 32.7; 104.7
Region Henan Province
Country China
Extent Xixia Basin
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Gaogou Formation (China)
China Henan location map.svg
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Gaogou Formation (Henan)

The Gaogou Formation is a fossiliferous geological formation located in the Xixia Basin of China. The formation dates back to the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Coniacian) and fossilized eggs of dinosaurs and turtles are commonly reported from the formation. Dinosaur taxa are also reported from the unit.

Contents

Paleobiota of the Gaogou Formation

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Dinosaurs

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Baotianmansaurus B. henanensisNeixiang"Partial vertebrae and scapula." [1] A titanosauriform.
Beibeilong B. sinensisHeimaogou"Embryonic skeleton with associated partial nest." [2] A large caenagnathid. Reconstruction of Beibeilong embryo in ovo.jpg

Eggs

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Dendroolithus D. xichuanensisXichuan"Eggshell fragments and collapsed eggs." [3] Dendroolithid eggs laid by ornithopods, sauropod or theropods.
IndeterminateXixia"Intact eggs and egg clutches." [3] Dendroolithid eggs laid by ornithopods, sauropod or theropods. Dinosaur Egg Museum, Xixia Dinosaur Park- Dinosaur Egg Nest, Dendroolithus sp. 04.jpg
Dictyoolithus D. neixiangensisXixiaNot specified. [3] Dictyoolithid eggs.
Faveoloolithus IndeterminateNanxiang"Single egg." [3] Faveoloolithid egg.
Macroelongatoolithus M. xixiaensisHeimaogou"Partial nest of 6-8 eggs, and eggshell fragments." [2] Elongatoolithid eggs laid by Beibeilong . Photograph of eggs and skeleton of Beibeilong sinensis (HGM 41HIII1219).jpg
M. xixiaensisNeixiang, Xixia"Isolated eggs and complete egg clutches." [3] Elongatoolithid eggs laid by caenagnathids. Dinosaur Egg Museum, Xixia Dinosaur Park- Dinosaur Egg Nest 03.jpg
Neixiangoolithus N. yaniNeixiang"Multiple egg clutches." [4] Testudoolithid eggs laid by a turtle.
Paraspheroolithus P. cf. irenensisXixia"Complete egg clutches." [3] Spheroolithid eggs.
Placoolithus P. tumiaolingensisYunxian"Several eggs and egg clutches." [5] Dendroolithid eggs laid by ornithopods, sauropod or theropods.
Prismatoolithus P. gebiensisNeixiang, Xixia"Several egg clutches." [3] Prismatoolithid eggs laid by troodontids. Xixia Dinosaur Park- Prismatoolithus gebiensis eggs.jpg
Youngoolithus Y. xiaguanensisXixia"Clutch with 4 eggs." [3] Youngoolithid eggs.

Flora

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Araucariaceae indet.IndeterminateXixia"Amber pieces." [6] A conifer. Gaogou Formation amber (Xixia County).png
Plantae indet.IndeterminateNot specified.Upper Member"Rhizoliths." [7] Root traces.

Invertebrates

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Beaconites B. antarcticusNot specified.Upper Member"Horizontal-overtical, straight to slightly curved, single, lined, meniscate burrows." [7] Invertebrate traces.
B. capronusNot specified.Upper Member"Horizontal to vertical, straight to slightly curved, lined, unbranched burrows." [7] Invertebrate traces.
B. coronusNot specified.Upper Member"Mostly horizontal to vertical, meniscate burrows." [7] Invertebrate traces.
Gastruichnus G. xixiaensisNot specified.Upper Member"Large, high dipping, slightly curved and unbranched burrow." [7] Traces made by molluscs.
Palaeophycus P. hebertiNot specified.Upper Member"Straight to curved, horizontal to vertical, unbranched and lined burrows." [7] Invertebrate traces.
P. megasNot specified.Upper Member"Curved, horizontal to vertical, unbranched and lined burrows." [7] Invertebrate traces.
Skolithos S. linearisNot specified."Cylindrical burrows." [7] Invertebrate traces.
S. magnusNot specified."Cylindrical to subcylindrical, vertical and slightly curved burrows." [7] Invertebrate traces.

Turtles

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Yuchelys Y. nanyangensisNeixiang"Partial skeleton with carapace." [8] A nanhsiungchelyid.

See also

References

  1. Zhang, X.; Lü, J.; Xu, L.; Li, J.; Yang, L.; Hu, W.; Jia, S.; Ji, Q.; Zhang, C. (2009). "A New Sauropod Dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Gaogou Formation of Nanyang, Henan Province". Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition). 83 (2): 212. Bibcode:2009AcGlS..83..212Z. doi:10.1111/j.1755-6724.2009.00032.x. S2CID   129422997.
  2. 1 2 Pu, H.; Zelenitsky, D. K.; Lü, J.; Currie, P. J.; Carpenter, K.; Xu, L.; Koppelhus, E. B.; Jia, S.; Xiao, L.; Chuang, H.; Li, T.; Kundrát, M.; Shen, C. (2017). "Perinate and eggs of a giant caenagnathid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of central China". Nature Communications. 8 (14952): 14952. Bibcode:2017NatCo...814952P. doi: 10.1038/ncomms14952 . PMC   5477524 . PMID   28486442.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Liang, X.; Wen, S.; Yang, D.; Zhou, S.; Wu, S. (2009). "Dinosaur eggs and dinosaur egg-bearing deposits (Upper Cretaceous) of Henan Province, China: Occurrences, palaeoenvironments, taphonomy and preservation". Progress in Natural Science. 19 (11): 1587−1601. Bibcode:2009PNSMI..19.1587L. doi: 10.1016/j.pnsc.2009.06.012 .
  4. Xu, L.; Xie, J.; Zhang, S.; Choi, S.; Kim, N.-H.; Gao, D.; Jin, X.; Jia, S.; Gao, Y. (2022). "Fossil turtle eggs from the Upper Cretaceous Gaogou Formation, Xiaguan-Gaoqiu Basin, Neixiang County, Henan Province, China: Interpretation of the transformation from aragonite to calcite in fossil turtle eggshell". Cretaceous Research. 134: 105166. Bibcode:2022CrRes.13405166X. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2022.105166. S2CID   246627436.
  5. Zhang, S.; Yang, T.-R.; Li, Z.; Hu, Y. (2018). "New dinosaur egg material from Yunxian, Hubei Province, China resolves the classification of dendroolithid eggs" (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 63 (4): 671−678. doi: 10.4202/app.00523.2018 .
  6. Shi, G.; Dutta, S.; Paul, S.; Wang, B.; Jacques, F. M. B. (2014). "Terpenoid Compositions and Botanical Origins of Late Cretaceous and Miocene Amber from China". PLOS ONE. 9 (10): e111303. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...9k1303S. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111303 . PMC   4213060 . PMID   25354364.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wang, C.-Z.; Wang, J.; Hu, B.; Lu, X.-H. (2016). "Trace fossils and sedimentary environments of the upper cretaceous in the Xixia Basin, Southwestern Henan Province, China". Geodinamica Acta. 28 (1–2): 53−70. Bibcode:2016GeoAc..28...53W. doi:10.1080/09853111.2015.1065307.
  8. Tong, H.; Xu, L.; Buffetaut, E.; Zhang, X.; Jia, S. (2012). "A new nanhsiungchelyid turtle from the Late Cretaceous of Neixiang, Henan Province, China". Annales de Paléontologie. 98 (4): 303–314. Bibcode:2012AnPal..98..303T. doi:10.1016/j.annpal.2012.08.001.