Tiaojishan Formation

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Tiaojishan Formation
Stratigraphic range: Bathonian-Oxfordian
~165–153  Ma
Tiaojishan Formation.png
Exposure of the Tiaojishan Formation at Nanshimenzi Village, Qinglong Manchu Autonomous County, Hebei Province, with red arrow pointing to fossiliferous beds
Type Geological formation
Underlies Tuchengzi Formation, Houcheng Formation
Overlies Haifanggou Formation
Thickness2,420 m (7,940 ft)
Lithology
Primary Andesite
Other Sandstone, shale, tuff, coal
Location
Coordinates 41°18′N119°12′E / 41.3°N 119.2°E / 41.3; 119.2
Approximate paleocoordinates 43°00′N123°06′E / 43.0°N 123.1°E / 43.0; 123.1
Region Hebei, Inner Mongolia, & Liaoning
Country China
Extent Yanshan Belt
China edcp relief location map.jpg
Blue pog.svg
Tiaojishan Formation (China)
China Liaoning relief location map.png
Blue pog.svg
Tiaojishan Formation (Liaoning)

The Tiaojishan Formation is a geological formation in Hebei and Liaoning, People's Republic of China, dating to the middle-late Jurassic period (Bathonian-Oxfordian stages). It is known for its exceptionally preserved fossils, including those of plants, insects and vertebrates. It is made up mainly of pyroclastic rock interspersed with basic volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Previously, the Tiaojishan Formation was grouped together with the underlying Haifanggou Formation (also known as the Jiulongshan Formation) as a single "Lanqi Formation." [1] The Tiaojishan Formation forms a key part of the Yanliao Biota assemblage, alongside the Haifanggou Formation.

Contents

Age

Using Argon–argon dating, Wang and colleagues in 2005 dated part of the Tiaojishan Formation to about 160 million years ago, the beginning of the Oxfordian stage, the first stage of the Upper Jurassic epoch. [2] In 2006, a study by Liu and colleagues used U-Pb zircon dating to conclude that the Tiaojishan Formation correlates with the Daohugou Beds, and the complete chronological range of this shared biota dates to between 168 and 164/152 Ma ago. [3] A subsequent study, published in 2008, refined the age range of the formation further, finding that the lower boundary of the Tiaojishan was formed 165 Ma ago, and the upper boundary somewhere between 156 and 153 Ma ago. [4]

Climate

Based on the plant life present in the Tiaojishan Formation, Wang Yongdong and colleagues determined that the climate in Liaoning during the mid Jurassic would have been subtropical to temperate, warm and humid. [1]

Fauna

Beautifully preserved fossils of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, salamanders, insects, arachnids [5] and other invertebrates, conifers, ginkgoes, cycads, horsetails, and ferns, and even the earliest known gliding mammal ( Volaticotherium ) have been discovered in these rocks.The tuffaceous composition of some rock layers show that this was a volcanic area, occasionally experiencing heavy ashfalls from eruptions. The landscape then was dominated by mountain streams and deep lakes surrounded by forests of gymnosperm trees. [6]

The forests of the Yanliao biota grew in a humid, warm - temperate climate and were dominated by gymnosperm trees. There were ginkgopsids like Ginkoites, Ginkgo , Baiera, Czekanowskia, and Phoenicopsis. There were also conifers like Pityophyllum, Rhipidiocladus, Elatocladus, Schizolepis, and Podozamites. Also, Lycopsids like Lycopodites and Sellaginellities, horsetails (Sphenopsida) like Equisetum, cycads like Anomozamites, and ferns (Filicopsida) like Todites and Coniopteris. [7]

Fish

Fish of the Tiaojishan Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Yanliaomyzon

Y. occisor [8]

Liaoning

A lamprey.

Yanliaomyzon Yanliaomyzon occisor.png
Yanliaomyzon

Salamanders

Salamanders of the Tiaojishan Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Beiyanerpeton

B. jianpingensis [9]

Liaoning

Chunerpeton Chunerpeton BW.jpg
Chunerpeton

Chunerpeton

C. tianyiensis

Jeholotriton

J. paradoxus

Liaoxitriton

L. daohugouensis

Pangerpeton

P. sinensis

Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs of the Tiaojishan Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Archaeoistiodactylus

A. linglongtaensis [10]

Liaoning

A monofenestratan known from an incomplete skeleton with a partial skull and lower jaw

Darwinopterus modularis Darwinopterus NT.jpg
Darwinopterus modularis
Jeholopterus Jeholopterus BW.jpg
Jeholopterus
Kunpengopterus antipollicatus Kunpengopterus antipollicatus and Allaboilus gigantus.jpg
Kunpengopterus antipollicatus
Sinomacrops Life reconstruction of Sinomacrops bondei.png
Sinomacrops
Wukongopterus Wukongopterus NT.jpg
Wukongopterus

Cascocauda

C. rong [11]

Hebei

Daohugou bed [12]

One specimen

A long-tailed batrachognathine anurognathid known from a complete skeleton with preserved impressions of soft-tissue

Changchengopterus

C. pani [13]

Hebei

A pterodactyliform known only from a single specimen of a young juvenile, measuring 475 millimeters (18.7 in) in wingspan.

Daohugoupterus

D. delicatus [14]

Inner Mongolia

One specimen

Pterosaur known from a partial skeleton with soft tissue impressions

Darwinopterus

D. modularis [15]

Liaoning

A wukongopterid

D. linglongtaensis

D. robustodens

D. camposi [16]

LiaoningOne specimen

Dendrorhynchoides ?

D. curvidentatus?

One specimen

An anurognathid; originally reported from the Yixian Formation, later suggested to be from Tiaojishan; [17] other studies dispute this [18]

Douzhanopterus

D. zhengi [19]

Linglongta

One specimen

A non-pterodactyloid monofenestratan

Fenghuangopterus

F. lii [20]

Liaoning

A scaphognathine rhamphorhynchid

Jeholopterus

J. ninchengensis

Inner Mongolia

Several specimens [21] [22]

A batrachognathine anurognathid with preserved soft tissue anatomy

Jianchangnathus

J. robustus [23]

Liaoning

A scaphognathine rhamphorhynchid known from a single fossil skeleton

Jianchangopterus

J. zhaoianus [24]

Liaoning

A scaphognathine rhamphorhynchid known from a nearly complete skeleton with the skull preserved

Kunpengopterus

K. sinensis [25]

Liaoning

Daohugou bed

Three specimens

A wukongopterid

K. antipollicatus [26]

Liaoning

Two nearly complete specimens

Liaodactylus

L. primus [27]

Daxishan (Linglongta)

One specimen

A ctenochasmatid

Luopterus

L. mutoudengensis [17] [28]

Hebei

One specimen

A batrachognathine anurognathid; originally classed as a species of Dendrorhynchoides ; suggested to have been Early Cretaceous in age

Pterorhynchus

P. wellnhoferi

Inner Mongolia

Daohugou bed

One specimen [21]

A darwinopteran known from a nearly complete skeleton including preserved soft-tissue anatomy

Qinglongopterus

Q. guoi [29]

Liaoning

A rhamphorhynchine rhamphorhynchid known from only one specimen

Sinomacrops

S. bondei [12]

Hebei

Daohugou bed

One specimen

A long-tailed batrachognathine anurognathid known from a relatively complete skull and skeleton with soft tissue patches

Wukongopterus

W. lii

Liaoning

Daohugou bed

One specimen [30]

A wukongopterid

Dinosaurs

Ornithischians
Ornithischians of the Tiaojishan Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Pulaosaurus [31]

P. qinglong

Qinglong

One specimen

The first neornithischian described from the Yanliao Biota; known from a well-preserved, articulated, nearly complete skeleton including soft tissue impressions and gut contents.

Pulaosaurus Pulaosaurus qinglong.png
Pulaosaurus
Tianyulong Tianyulong BW.jpg
Tianyulong

Tianyulong

T. confuciusi

Liaoning

A heterodontosaur initially reported as being from the Early Cretaceous Jehol group; preserved with feather-like filaments

Theropods
Theropods of the Tiaojishan Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Anchiornis

A. huxleyi [32]

Liaoning

Several specimens [33]

An anchiornithid at first believed to be a troodontid; analysis of the fossils has enabled scientists to determine what colors the animal may have exhibited in life

Anchiornis Anchiornis BW.jpg
Anchiornis
Aurornis Aurornis.jpg
Aurornis
Caihong Caihong , life restoration.jpg
Caihong
Eosinopteryx Eosinopteryx.jpg
Eosinopteryx
Epidexipteryx Epidexipteryx NT.jpg
Epidexipteryx
Pedopenna Pedopenna.png
Pedopenna
Scansoriopteryx Scansor chick.png
Scansoriopteryx
Serikornis Serikornis.jpg
Serikornis
Xiaotingia Xiaotingia .jpg
Xiaotingia
Yi Yi qi restoration.jpg
Yi

Aurornis

A. xui

Liaoning

One specimen

An anchiornithid roughly the size of a modern pheasant

Caihong

C. juji

Hebei

Yanliao Biota

One specimen

An anchiornithid known from an adult specimen measuring 400 mm in body length; analysis of the fossils has enabled scientists to determine what colors the animal may have exhibited in life [34]

Eosinopteryx

E. brevipenna

Liaoning

One specimen

An anchiornithid at first believed to be a troodontid, known from a single complete skeleton of a subadult or adult individual

Epidexipteryx

E. hui

Inner Mongolia

Daohugou beds

One specimen

A scansoriopterygid known from a well-preserved partial skeleton, measuring 10 inches in length (17.5 inches including the incomplete tail feathers)

Pedopenna

P. daohugouensis

Inner Mongolia

Daohugou beds

One specimen

An anchiornithid known only from a foot and ankle with soft tissue impressions

Scansoriopteryx

S. heilmanni

Liaoning

Exact provenance of type specimen unknown, most likely from the Daohugou Beds [35]

One or two specimens

A sparrow-sized scansoriopterygid known from one or two juvenile specimens

Serikornis

S. sungei

Liaoning

One specimen [36]

An anchiornithid with plumulaceous-like feathers

Xiaotingia

X. zhengi [37]

Liaoning

One specimen

An anchiornithid originally thought to be either a dromaeosaur or a troodontid

Yi

Y. qi [38]

Hebei

Daohugou beds

One specimen

A gliding scansoriopterygid, weighing about 380 grams (0.84 pounds)

Lizards

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.
Lepidosaurs (lizards and relatives) of the Daohugou Beds
GenusSpeciesStateAbundanceNotesImages

Unnamed lizard [39]

Inner Mongolia

One specimen

A new lizard with relatively short forelimbs

Unnamed lizard [39]

Inner Mongolia

One specimen

A lizard with long hind limbs and a narrow body

Cynodonts

Cynodonts of the Tiaojishan Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Agilodocodon

A. scansorius

Inner Mongolia

Daohugou bed

A shrew-sized, arboreal docodontid [40]

Agilodocodon Agilodocodon scansorius by Kaek.jpg
Agilodocodon
Docofossor Docofossor NT flipped.jpg
Docofossor
Juramaia Juramaia NT.jpg
Juramaia
Maiopatagium Maiopatagium NT.jpg
Maiopatagium
Megaconus Megaconus NT.png
Megaconus
Volaticotherium Volaticotherium Life Reconstruction.png
Volaticotherium

Arboroharamiya

A. jenkinsi

Liaoning

One specimen

An arboreal, prehensile-tailed euharamiyid haramiyidan estimated to have weighed about 354 grams [41]

Docofossor

D. brachydactylus

Hebei

One specimen [42]

A docodontid specialized for a subterranean burrowing lifestyle

Juramaia

J. sinensis [43]

Liaoning

One specimen

A small, shrew-like therian which weighed around 15–17 grams (0.53–0.60 oz); it may be a stem-eutherian, [43] but this classification has been questioned by some [44] [45]

Maiopatagium M. furculiferum

Megaconus

M. mammaliaformis

Inner Mongolia

Daohugou bed

One specimen

An eleutherodontid haramiyidan thought to have been a herbivore that lived on the ground [46]

Microdocodon M. gracilisDaohugou bedA tegotheriid docodontan
Qishou Q. jizantang Euharamiyida

Rugosodon

R. eurasiaticus

Liaoning

Daxishan site

One specimen

An omnivorous paulchoffatoid multituberculate; one of the oldest-known multituberculates [47] It is estimated to have weighed between 65 and 80 grams, about that of an average chipmunk.

Volaticotherium

V. antiquum

Inner Mongolia

Daohugou bed

One specimen

A gliding, flying squirrel-like volaticotherian eutriconodont with a specialized gliding membrane

Vilevolodon V. diplomylosA gliding eleutherodontid haramiyidan
Xianshou X. linglong, X. songaeA gliding euharamiyidan

Arthropods

The following orders are represented in the formation; Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Plecoptera, Blattodea, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Neuroptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Diptera.

An indeterminate aeshnoid (insect) species is known from Liaoning. [32]

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.
Arthropods of the Daohugou Beds
GenusSpeciesStateAbundanceNotesImages

Ahirmoneura

A. neimengguensis [48]

Inner Mongolia

A tangle-veined fly

Archirhagio

A. striatus [49]

Archisargid flies

A. zhangi [50]

Inner Mongolia

Archisargus

A. spurivenius [49]

Archisargid flies

A. strigatus [49]

Calosargus

C. (Calosargus) antiquus [49]

Archisargid flies

C. (C.) bellus [49]

C. (C.) daohugouensis [49]

C. (C.) hani [49]

C. (C.) tenuicellulatus [49]

C. (C.) validus [49]

C. (Pterosargus) sinicus [49]

Inner Mongolia

Darwinula

D. impudica [32]

Liaoning

An ostracod

D. magna [32]

Liaoning

An ostracod

D. sarytirmenensis [32]

Liaoning

An ostracod

Daohugocorixa

D. vulcanica [49]

A water boatman

Fuyous

F. gregarious [49]

A mayfly

Eoplectreurys

E. gertschi [51]

1 Specimen

A plectreurid spider

Homocatabrycus

H. liui [52]

A schizophorid flying water beetle

Jurassinemestrinus

J. orientalis [49]

Inner Mongolia

A Nemestrinoid fly

Menopraesagus

M. explanatus [52]

Schizophorid flying water beetles

M. oxycerus [52]

M. grammicus [52]

Meoslova

M. daohugouensis [49]

An archisargid fly

Mostovskisargus

M. portentosus [49]

Inner Mongolia

Archisargid flies

M. signatus [49]

Inner Mongolia

Shantous

S. lacustris [49]

A mayfly

Sinoschizala

S. darani [52]

A schizophorid flying water beetle

Other invertebrates

GenusSpeciesProvinceStratigraphic PositionAbundanceNotes

Shaanxiconcha

S. cliovata [32]

Liaoning

A bivalve

Flora

Survey based on Wang et al. 2006 unless otherwise noted. [1]

Bennettitales

Cycad-like plants, the most abundant plant group in the formation. 27 species in 11 genera.

Bennettitales of the Tiaojishan Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Anomozamites

Bennetticarpus

Cycadolepis

Jacutiella

Pteriophyllum

Ptilophyllum

Williamsonia

Williamsoniella

Zamiophyllum

Zamites

Ginkgoales

Prehistoric ginkgo trees, common, with 11 species present in 6 genera.

Ginkgoales of the Tiaojishan Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Ginkgo

Ixostrobus

Phoenicopsis

Sphenobaiera

Solenites

Pinophyta

Conifers, 5 species present in 4 genera.

Pinophytans of the Tiaojishan Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Pityocladus

Pityophyllum

Podizamites

Schizolepis

Yuccites

Pteridophyta

Leptosporangiate ferns, represented by 17 species in 8 genera, are the second most abundant plant type in the formation.

Pteridophytans of the Tiaojishan Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages
AshicaulisBeipiaoOne specimenA whole-plant osmundacean. Preserved stem 50 cm high and 35–41 cm across. Sterile fronds of Cladophlebis-type, fertile fronds of Todites-type with in-situ spores of Osmundacidites-type. [53]

Cladophlebis

Form genus of sterile fern fronds, typically assigned to Osmundaceae. A whole-plant osmundacean tree-fern with Cladophlebis fronds attached is known from this formation.

Claytosmunda C. chengii, C. liaoningensis, C. plumites, C. preosmunda, C. sinica, C. wangiiBeipiao, LiaoningNumerous specimensInterrupted ferns. Numerous fossil rhizomes previously assigned to Millerocaulis or Ashicaulis were interpreted to be close relatives and possible precursors of Claytosmunda claytoniana , the only extant representative of the genus. [54]

Coniopteris

Dicksoniaceae Tree ferns.

Dicksonia D. changeyingziensis Dicksoniaceae Tree ferns.
D. charielsa
Eboracia Dicksoniaceae Tree ferns.

Hausmannia

H. shebudaiensis

Uncommon.

A dipterid fern.

Marattia

M. hoerenensis

Uncommon.

A marattiopsid fern.

Raphaelia

R. stricta

A fern.

Todites

T. denticulataFertile fronds of osmundacean ferns that resemble Todea. Known to attach to "Ashicaulis"-type stems with sterile Cladophlebis-type fronds in this formation.
T. williamsoniiIsolated fertile fronds of osmundacean ferns resembling Todea.

Other plants

Cycads, fairly diverse, with 10 species present in 2 genera.

Cycads of the Tiaojishan Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Ctenis

Cycadales.

Equisetum

Horsetails.

Neocalamites

Horsetails.

Nilssonia

Cycadales.

Hepacitities

H. shebudaiensis

Uncommon.

A bryophyte.

Taeniopteris sp.

Uncommon.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wang, Y.; Ken, S.; Zhang, W.; Zheng, S. (2006). "Biodiversity and palaeoclimate of the Middle Jurassic floras from the Tiaojishan Formation in western Liaoning, China". Progress in Natural Science. 16 (1): 222–230. doi:10.1080/10020070612330087.
  2. Xiaolin Wang; Zhonghe Zhou; Huaiyu He; Fan Jin; Yuanqing Wang; Jiangyong Zhang; Yuan Wang; Xing Xu; Fucheng Zhang (2005). "Stratigraphy and age of the Daohugou Bed in Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia". Chinese Science Bulletin. 50 (20): 2369–2376. Bibcode:2005ChSBu..50.2369W. doi:10.1007/BF03183749. S2CID   198142479.
  3. Liu, Y.; Ji, S.; Yang, Z. (2006). "U-Pb zircon age for the Daohugou Biota at Ningcheng of Inner Mongolia and comments on related issues". Chinese Science Bulletin. 51 (21): 2634–2644. Bibcode:2006ChSBu..51.2634L. doi:10.1007/s11434-006-2165-2. S2CID   96442710.
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  5. Notably Mongolarachne jurassica .
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  7. Zhang, Kuiyan; Yang, Ding; Ren, Dong (2006). "The first snipe fly (Diptera: Rhagionidae) from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China". Zootaxa. 1134: 51–57. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1134.1.3. S2CID   83904231.
  8. Wu, Feixiang; Janvier, Philippe; Zhang, Chi (2023-10-31). "The rise of predation in Jurassic lampreys". Nature Communications. 14 (1): 6652. Bibcode:2023NatCo..14.6652W. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-42251-0. ISSN   2041-1723. PMC   10618186 . PMID   37907522.
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