Huriwai Measures Formation

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Huriwai Measures Formation
Stratigraphic range: Tithonian
Type Geological formation
Unit of Huriwai Group
Underlies Matira Sandstone
Lithology
Primary Breccia, conglomerates, and sandstone
Other Coal
Location
Coordinates 37°23′24″S174°43′44″E / 37.390°S 174.729°E / -37.390; 174.729
Region Waikato River
CountryFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Type section
Named by Ferdinand von Hochstetter
Year defined1864 [1] [2]

The Huriwai Measures Formation is a geological formation in New Zealand, dating to the Late Jurassic (Tithonian). [3]

Contents

It is one of two geological formations in New Zealand where dinosaur fossils have been found, with the other being the Late Cretaceous-aged Tahora Formation. [4]

History

Ferdinand von Hochstetter discovered the Huriwai Measures Formation during the Austrian Novara expedition to New Zealand in 1857, and he later described the formation in 1864. [1] [2]

Plant fossils were then identified from the formation by Purser (1961), [3] and the first tetrapod fossil (specimen AU13802) was discovered in the formation in 1995. AU13802 was identified by Molnar, Wiffen & Hayes (1998) as a phalanx bone probably belonging to a theropod dinosaur, [5] making it the first dinosaur fossil from the Jurassic to be discovered in New Zealand.

Description

Plant fossils found in the Huriwai Measures Formation suggest that it was a forested environment. [6] [5] Ballance & Campbell (1993) have also suggested it to have been a braided floodplain delta because the region was subject to volcanic ash falls from a distant volcano. [7]

Fossil content

Flora

Plants recovered from the Huriwai Measures Formation include Cladophlebis , Equisetum , Taeniopteris , conifers, and liverworts. [6] [5]

Fauna

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage
Bivalvia [3] IndeterminateBelieved to be nonmarine. [3]
Mollusca [3] IndeterminateBelieved to be nonmarine. [3]
Theropoda? [5] Indeterminate Port Waikato "Phalanx."The bone is stained black, and possible coprolites have also been assigned to this species. [5] Probable theropod manual phalanx AU13802.png

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Hochstetter, von, F. (1864). Geologie von Neu-Seeland. Reise der Osterreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde in den Jahre 1857, 1858, 1859. Novara-Expedition, Geologischer Theil, bd. 1.
  2. 1 2 Hochstetter, von, F. (1959). Geology of New Zealand. Wellington, R. E. Owen. 320 p.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Purser, B. H. (1961). Geology of the Port Waikato region (Onewhero sheet N51). New Zealand Geological Survey bulletin 69: 1-36.
  4. ↑ Agnolin, F.L., Ezcurra, M.D., Pais, D.F. and Salisbury, S.W. (2010). "A reappraisal of the Cretaceous non-avian dinosaur faunas from Australia and New Zealand: Evidence for their Gondwanan affinities." Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 8(2): 257-300
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Molnar, Ralph E.; Wiffen, Joan; Hayes, Brendan (1998). "A probable theropod bone from the latest Jurassic of New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 41 (2): 145–148. doi:10.1080/00288306.1998.9514798. ISSN   0028-8306.
  6. 1 2 Pocknall, D. T. (1988): Huriwai plant beds. In: Pocknall, D. T.; Tremain, R. ed. Tour LB1, 7th International Palynological Conference, Brisbane, Australia, August 1988, New Zealand palynology and paleobotany. New Zealand Geological Survey record 33: 17-23.
  7. ↑ Ballance, P. F; Campbell, J. D. (1993): The Murihiku arc-related basin of New Zealand (Triassic-Jurassic). In: Ballance, P. F. ed. South Pacific sedimentary basins. Sedimentary basins of the world, 2. Amsterdam, Elsevier Science. Pp. 21-33.
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