The South Polar region of the Cretaceous comprised the continent of East Gondwana–modern day Australia, Zealandia, and Antarctica–a product of the break-up of Gondwana in the Cretaceous Period. The southern region, during this time, was much warmer than it is today, ranging from perhaps 4–8 °C (39–46 °F) in the latest Cretaceous Maastrichtian in what is now southeastern Australia. This prevented permanent ice sheets from developing and fostered polar forests, which were largely dominated by conifers, cycads, and ferns, and relied on a temperate climate and heavy rainfall. Major fossil-bearing geological formations that record this area are: the Santa Marta and Sobral Formations of Seymour Island off the Antarctic Peninsula; the Snow Hill Island, Lopez de Bertodano, and the Hidden Lake Formations on James Ross Island also off the Antarctic Peninsula; and the Eumeralla and Wonthaggi Formations in Australia.
Antarctopelta is a genus of ankylosaurian dinosaur, a group of large, quadrupedal herbivores, that lived during the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous period on what is now James Ross Island, Antarctica. Antarctopelta is the only known ankylosaur from Antarctica and a member of Parankylosauria. The only described specimen was found in 1986, the first dinosaur to be found on the continent, by Argentine geologists Eduardo Olivero and Robert Scasso. The fossils were later described in 2006 by paleontologists Leonardo Salgado and Zulma Gasparini, who named the type species A. oliveroi after Olivero.
The Lopez de Bertodano Formation is a geological formation in the James Ross archipelago of the Antarctic Peninsula. The strata date from the end of the Late Cretaceous to the Danian stage of the lower Paleocene, from about 70 to 65.5 million years ago, straddling the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary.
The Sobral Formation is a palaeontological formation located in Antarctica. It dates to the Danian stage of the Lower Paleocene period.
The Ankarafantsika Formation is a Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) geologic formation of the Mahajanga Basin in the Boeny region of Madagascar, Africa. The fine-grained sandstones of the formation were deposited in a fluvial to lacustrine environment.
The Birdrong Sandstone is an Early Cretaceous geologic formation of the Barrow Group in Western Australia. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus.
The Chilgog Formation, also known as the Chilgok Formation, is an Early Cretaceous geologic formation in South Korea. Formerly dated to the Berriasian to Hauterivian, later dating has established an Albian age. Dinosaur remains, possibly of sauropods, are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus.
The Iljig Formation is a Lower Cretaceous geologic formation in South Korea. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus.
The In Beceten Formation, also Beceten or Ibecten is a Coniacian to Santonian geologic formation in the Iullemmeden Basin of Niger. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus. The lithology primarily consists of clays, fine limestones and sandy clays.
The Kootenai Formation is a Lower Cretaceous geologic formation. The Kootenai was deposited in a foreland basin east of the Sevier thrust belt in western Montana. The lithology consists of a basal conglomerate with overlying non-marine sandstones, shales and lacustrine limestones.
The Miria Formation is a Late Cretaceous geologic formation, in Western Australia.
The Molecap Greensand is a Late Cretaceous geologic formation, located in the state of Western Australia in Australia.
The Oum ed Diab Member is a middle-upper Albian geologic member, part of the Ain el Guettar Formation of Tunisia. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.
The Shendi Formation is a Late Cretaceous geologic formation of the Atbara-Shendi Basin in northern Sudan. Indeterminate theropod remains have been recovered from it. As well as those of the dyrosaurid Hyposaurus. It consists of a lower unit of fine grained meandering channel sediments, separated by an erosive contact with overlying meandering to braided river channel sandstones.
The Sierra Perenchiza Formation is a late Campanian to late Maastrichtian geologic formation in Spain. Dinosaur, pterosaur, turtle, lissamphibian, frog and albanerpetontid remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus and the crocodylomorphs Acynodon, Doratodon ibericus and Musturzabalsuchus are also known from this formation.
The Abu Agag Formation is a Turonian geologic formation in Egypt and Sudan. Indeterminate fossil ornithischian tracks have been reported from the formation.
The Rupelo Formation is an Early Cretaceous (Berriasian) geologic formation in the Burgos Province of Castile and León in northern Spain. The formation crops out near the municipality Mambrillas de Lara in the northwesternmost part of the Cameros Basin in the Sierra de la Demanda.
The Snow Hill Island Formation is an Early Maastrichtian geologic formation found on James Ross Island, James Ross Island group, Antarctica. Remains of a paravian theropod Imperobator antarcticus have been recovered from it, as well as the elasmarian ornithopods Trinisaura santamartaensis, Biscoveosaurus and Morrosaurus antarcticus, the ankylosaurian Antarctopelta oliveroi, and the shark Notidanodon sp. Alongside these described genera are also the remains of indeterminate elasmosaurids, lithostrotian titanosaurs and an indeterminate pterosaur.
Antarctoxylon is a morphogenus of angiosperms that is found in the Coniacian of Antarctica. The most recently named species, A. mixai, is found in the Hidden Lake Formation on James Ross Island. All the other species, named by Poole and Cantrill, are found on Williams Point, Livingston Island.
