Nanxiong Formation | |
---|---|
Stratigraphic range: Maastrichtian | |
Type | Geological formation |
Underlies | Shanghu Formation |
Overlies | Jurassic granite basement, Changba Formation (Nanxiong Group) |
Thickness | ~300 m (980 ft) Several kilometers (Nanxiong Group) |
Lithology | |
Primary | Sandstone, siltstone, mudstone |
Other | Limestone, conglomerate |
Location | |
Coordinates | 23°30′N114°54′E / 23.5°N 114.9°E |
Approximate paleocoordinates | 23°48′N110°30′E / 23.8°N 110.5°E |
Region | Guangdong Province |
Country | ![]() |
Extent | Nanxiong Basin |
The Nanxiong Formation (also known as Yuanpu Formation) is a Late Cretaceous geologic formation in Guangdong Province. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.
It consists of continental siliciclastic red beds, with fauna which similar to that of the Nemegt Formation. It has been dated to about 66.7 ± 0.3 million years ago. [1] It is the lowest unit of the Nanxiong Basin, a small graben created during Mesozoic rifting. [2] Buck et al. state that it overlies Jurassic granite basement, and is conformably overlain by the Shanghu Formation. [1] Alternative stratigraphic schemes for the Nanxiong basin have been proposed, [3] one of which refers to the Nanxiong succession as the Nanxiong Group, and dividing it into the Yuanfu, Zhutian and Zhenshui formations, and overlying the Albian to Turonian Changba Formation. [4]
Color key
| Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
Crocodilians | ||||||
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Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images | ||
Jiangxisuchus [5] | J. nankangensis | Nearly complete skull and mandible | A crocodyloid | |||
Lizards | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images | ||
Chianghsia [6] | C. nankangensis | A partial skull and lower jaws | A monstersaurian lizard | |||
Tianyusaurus [7] | T. zhengi | A skull, mandible, first eight cervical vertebrae and nearly complete pectoral girdles | A polyglyphanodontian lizard, also known from the Qiupa Formation | ![]() | ||
Turtles | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images | ||
Jiangxichelys [8] | J. ganzhouensis | A complete shell | A nanhsiungchelyid turtle | |||
Nanhsiungchelys [9] | N. wuchingensis | A partial skeleton | A nanhsiungchelyid turtle [10] | |||
Oolithes [11] [10] | O. elongatus, O. nanhsiungensis, O. rugustus and O. spheroides. | Egg and egg clutches. Some of these were probably laid by Nanhsiungchelys. [11] [10] | Turtle and/or theropod eggs | ![]() | ||
Hadrosaurs of the Nanxiong Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images | ||
Microhadrosaurus [11] | M. nanshiungensis | Partial lower jaw from a juvenile that was about 2.6 m long | A nomen dubium hadrosaur taxon. [4] | |||
Hadrosauropodus isp. [4] | Indeterminate | Three-toed footprints [4] | A hadrosaur | |||
Sauropods of the Nanxiong Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images | ||
Gannansaurus [12] | G. sinensis | A single, nearly complete dorsal vertebra and a mid-caudal vertebra | A sauropod closely related to Euhelopus | |||
Jiangxititan [13] | J. ganzhouensis | The three posteriormost cervical vertebrae with two cervical ribs, articulated with the first four dorsal vertebrae with three dorsal ribs | A somphospondylan of controversial affinities; originally described as a derived lognkosaurian titanosaur, later analyses recovered a more basal, non-titanosaurian position more likely. [14] | ![]() | ||
Oviraptorosaurs of the Nanxiong Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images | ||
Banji [15] | B. long | Nearly complete skull and lower jaw | An oviraptorid | ![]() | ||
Corythoraptor [16] | C. jacobsi | Nearly complete skeleton including the skull and lower jaw | An oviraptorid with a distinct cassowary-like crest | ![]() | ||
Elongatoolithidae indet. | Indeterminate | Three eggs with embryonic remains. [17] | Oviraptorid eggs | ![]() | ||
Ganzhousaurus [18] | G. nankangensis | Lower jaw, leg bone, hip bone and caudal vertebrae | A transitional oviraptorid with both basal and derived traits | ![]() | ||
Huanansaurus [19] | H. ganzhouensis | Nearly complete skull, lower jaws, neck vertebrae, a humerus, arm fragments, lower part of the right thighbone, the upper part of the right shinbone, and parts of the right foot | An oviraptorid | ![]() | ||
Jiangxisaurus [20] | J. ganzhouensis | Incomplete skull, lower jaw, vertebrae, nearly complete pectoral girdle, the left forelimb, ribs, and a partially preserved pelvic girdle | An oviraptorid | ![]() | ||
Macroolithus | Indeterminate | Five egg clutches containing over 60 eggs. [21] | Oviraptorid eggs | ![]() | ||
Indeterminate | Three eggs with embryonic remains. [22] | Oviraptorid eggs | ![]() | |||
M. yaotunensis | Two eggs with embryonic remains. [23] | Oviraptorid eggs. Skeletal proportions resemble Heyuannia huangi | ||||
M. yaotunensis | A nest of 24 eggs associated with an adult oviraptorid. [24] | Oviraptorid eggs | ||||
Nankangia [25] | N. jiangxiensis | A partial lower jaw, vertebrae, both scapulocoracoids, a nearly complete right humerus, pubic bones, and some dorsal ribs | An oviraptorid | ![]() | ||
Oviraptoridae indet. | Indeterminate | A female individual preserving the pelvic girdle, some caudals and two eggs inside the abdominal cavity. [26] | A pregnant oviraptorid | |||
Indeterminate | A nesting adult over a nest of eggs, preserving cervical vertebrae, arms and the pelvic region. [24] | An oviraptorid that represents the fifth nesting taxon | ||||
Indeterminate | A female individual preserving a partial pelvic girdle, hindlimbs and some caudals with two eggs associated near the pelvic region. [27] | A pregnant oviraptorid | ||||
Shixinggia [28] | S. oblita | Sparse postcranial remains lacking the skull | An oviraptorid | |||
Tongtianlong [29] | T. limosus | Almost complete skeleton, portions of the arms, right leg, and tail were destroyed by TNT blasts | An oviraptorid, the pose indicates that it may have died trying to free itself from mud | ![]() | ||
Therizinosaurs of the Nanxiong Formation | ||||||
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Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images | ||
Nanshiungosaurus | N. brevispinus | Eleven cervical vertebrae, ten dorsal vertebrae, six sacral vertebrae and the pelvis. [11] [30] | A therizinosaurid | ![]() | ||
Tyrannosaurs of the Nanxiong Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images | ||
Asiatyrannus [31] | A. xui | A skull, partial legs, and fragmentary caudal vertebrae | A small-bodied tyrannosaurine | ![]() | ||
Qianzhousaurus [32] | Q. sinensis | A skull, lower jaw, vertebrae, both scapulocoracoids, a left femur and a left tibia | A tyrannosaurid, could represent a third species of Alioramus [33] | ![]() | ||
Tyrannosauridae indet. | Indeterminate | Two isolated teeth. [11] | A tyrannosaurid | |||
Indeterminate | Large and well-preserved tooth. [34] | A tyrannosaurid | ||||
Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|
Theropoda indet. | Indeterminate | A maxillary tooth that differs from tyrannosaurid and carcharodontosaurid dentition. [34] | A notably large theropod | |
Indeterminate | Isolated dorsal vertebra. [11] | A theropod | ||
Heyuannia is a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous epoch, in what is now China and Mongolia. It was the first oviraptorid found in China; most others were found in neighbouring Mongolia. Two species are known: H. huangi, named by Lü Junchang in 2002 from the Dalangshan Formation; and H. yanshini, originally named as a separate genus Ingenia from the Barun Goyot Formation by Rinchen Barsbold in 1981, and later renamed to Ajancingenia in 2013 due to the preoccupation of Ingenia. The latter name was eventually discarded due to various ethical issues surrounding the author.
Nanshiungosaurus is a genus of therizinosaurid that lived in what is now Asia during the Late Cretaceous of South China. The type species, Nanshiungosaurus brevispinus, was first discovered in 1974 and described in 1979 by Dong Zhiming. It is represented by a single specimen preserving most of the cervical and dorsal vertebrae with the pelvis. A supposed and unlikely second species, "Nanshiungosaurus" bohlini, was found in 1992 and described in 1997. It is also represented by vertebrae but this species however, differs in geological age and lacks authentic characteristics compared to the type, making its affinity to the genus unsupported.
Banji is an extinct genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived approximately 66 million years ago during the later part of the Cretaceous Period in what is now China. It was a small, lightly built, ground-dwelling, bipedal carnivore, that was an estimated 65 cm (2.1 ft) long, as a juvenile.
The Bayan Mandahu Formation is a geological unit of "redbeds" located near the village of Bayan Mandahu in Inner Mongolia and China and dates from the late Cretaceous Period. Laid down in the Campanian, it is dated somewhat uncertainly to between 75 and 71 mya.
Macroolithus is an oogenus of dinosaur egg belonging to the oofamily Elongatoolithidae. The type oospecies, M. rugustus, was originally described under the now-defunct oogenus name Oolithes. Three other oospecies are known: M. yaotunensis, M. mutabilis, and M. lashuyuanensis. They are relatively large, elongated eggs with a two-layered eggshell. Their nests consist of large, concentric rings of paired eggs. There is evidence of blue-green pigmentation in its shell, which may have helped camouflage the nests.
Yulong is an extinct genus of derived oviraptorid theropod dinosaur known from the Late Cretaceous Qiupa Formation of Henan Province, central China. It contains a single species, Yulong mini. It is known from many juvenile specimens that represent some of the smallest known oviraptorids and also a single subadult specimen.
The Qiupa Formation is a Late Cretaceous Maastrichtian geologic formation in Henan Province, central China. It is rich in dinosaur eggs and bones, such as those of carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs. The Qiupa Formation is considered to be Late Maastrichtian in age, about 72 million and 66 million years ago.
Ganzhousaurus is an extinct genus of oviraptorid dinosaur known from the Late Cretaceous Nanxiong Formation of Nankang County, Ganzhou City of Jiangxi Province, southern China. It was found in a Maastrichtian deposit and contains a single species, Ganzhousaurus nankangensis. It is distinguished by a combination of primitive and derived features.
Gannansaurus is an extinct genus of somphospondylan sauropod dinosaur known from the latest Cretaceous Nanxiong Formation of Ganzhou Basin, Jiangxi Province of southern China. It is known from specimen GMNH F10001 which consists of a single, nearly complete dorsal vertebra and a mid-caudal vertebra. Gannansaurus was first named by Lü Junchang, Yi Laiping, Zhong Hui and Wei Xuefang in 2013 and the type species is Gannansaurus sinensis. Gannansaurus shares some characters with Euhelopus, indicating that it is more closely related to it rather than to other titanosauriforms.
Jiangxisaurus is an extinct genus of oviraptorid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Nanxiong Formation of southern China. It was similar to Heyuannia, but with more strongly curved anterior claws and a thinner, frailer mandible. This find is paleontologically significant because it contributes to current knowledge about the paleogeographical distribution of oviraptorids in southern China. It was most likely an omnivorous animal along with its close relatives Nankangia and Ganzhousaurus.
Nankangia is an extinct genus of caenagnathoid oviraptorosaurian dinosaur known from the Upper Cretaceous Nanxiong Formation of Nankang County, Ganzhou City of Jiangxi Province, southeastern China. It contains a single species, Nankangia jiangxiensis. N. jiangxiensis coexisted with at least four other caenagnathoids, including but not limited to Corythoraptor, Banji, Ganzhousaurus and Jiangxisaurus. The relatively short dentary and non-downturned mandibular symphysis of Nankangia suggest that it may have been more herbivorous than carnivorous. Its diet consisted of leaves and seeds.
Qianzhousaurus is a genus of tyrannosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous period. There is currently only one species named, the type species Qianzhousaurus sinensis, which is a member of the tribe Alioramini and most closely related to Alioramus, the only other known alioramin.
This timeline of oviraptorosaur research is a chronological listing of events in the history of paleontology focused on the oviraptorosaurs, a group of beaked, bird-like theropod dinosaurs. The early history of oviraptorosaur paleontology is characterized by taxonomic confusion due to the unusual characteristics of these dinosaurs. When initially described in 1924 Oviraptor itself was thought to be a member of the Ornithomimidae, popularly known as the "ostrich" dinosaurs, because both taxa share toothless beaks. Early caenagnathid oviraptorosaur discoveries like Caenagnathus itself were also incorrectly classified at the time, having been misidentified as birds.
Huanansaurus is an extinct genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived approximately 72 million years ago, between the Campanian and Maastrichtian, during the latter part of the Cretaceous period in what is now China, in the Nanxiong Formation.
Tongtianlong is a genus of oviraptorid theropod dinosaurs that lived in the late Maastrichtian epoch of the late Cretaceous period. It contains one species, T. limosus.
Corythoraptor is a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur from the late Maastrichtian Nanxiong Formation of South China. It contains one species, C. jacobsi, known from a single well-preserved skeleton, and named after paleontologist Louis L. Jacobs. It bears a tall crest similar to that of the modern cassowary, and possibly had a similar functionality of display and resonance to detect lower-frequency sounds.
Lü Junchang was a Chinese palaeontologist and professor at the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences. An expert on Mesozoic reptiles, he described and named dozens of dinosaur and pterosaur taxa including Tongtianlong, Qianzhousaurus, Heyuannia, Gannansaurus, Yunnanosaurus youngi, and Darwinopterus.
Asiatyrannus is an extinct genus of tyrannosaurine theropod dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous Nanxiong Formation of China. The genus contains a single species, A. xui, known from a single specimen consisting of a skull and partial postcranial skeleton. Asiatyrannus is notable for its deep-snouted skull and small body size, in contrast to the gracile snout and larger size of the contemporary Qianzhousaurus. It represents the southernmost record of an Asian tyrannosaurid.