Upper Dharmaram Formation

Upper Dharmaram Formation
Stratigraphic range: Hettangian–Sinemurian ~201.3–190.8  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Geological formation
Underlies	Kota Formation
Overlies	Lower Dharmaram Formation
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone, mudstone
Location
Coordinates	19°18′N79°30′E / 19.3°N 79.5°E / 19.3; 79.5
Approximate paleocoordinates	28°12′S34°06′E / 28.2°S 34.1°E / -28.2; 34.1
Region	Telangana
Country	India
Extent	Pranhita–Godavari Basin
Upper Dharmaram Formation (India)

The Upper Dharmaram Formation is an Early Jurassic geologic formation found in Telangana, India. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.

Age

The Upper Dharmaram Formation overlies the Lower Dharmaram Formation, which dates to the Late Triassic, and conformably underlies the Kota Formation, the age of which is uncertain. Typical Triassic fauna, such as phytosaurs and aetosaurs, are absent from the Upper Dharmaram Formation, suggesting that it is Jurassic in age and that the boundary between the Lower and Upper Dharmaram Formation may correspond to the Triassic-Jurassic boundary. ^[1] A Sinemurian age has been suggested based on faunal similarities to the Upper Elliot and Clarens Formations of southern Africa, the Kayenta Formation of North America, and the Lower Lufeng Formation of China. ^[2] A Hettangian age has also been suggested. ^[3]

Fossil organisms

Non-dinosaurian reptiles

Crocodylomorphs

Taxon	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
aff. Dibothrosuchus [2]				A sphenosuchian

Dinosaurs

Theropods

Taxon	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
aff. Dilophosaurus [2]			"isolated teeth and limb fragments"	A large neotheropod similar to Dilophosaurus

Sauropodomorphs

Taxon	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Lamplughsaura dharmaramensis			Partial skeletons of four individuals [4]	Possible basal Sauropod.	Lamplughsaura
Pradhania gracilis			Partial skeleton including a few skull bones, three vertebrae, and partial manus [5]	A non-sauropod sauropodomorph, possibly a massospondylid.
Sauropodomorpha indet.			Incomplete femur	A probable third sauropodomorph taxon, distinct from both Lamplughsaura and Pradhania [6]

See also

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations

References

1. Kutty et al. 2007, p. 1218.
2. Kutty et al. 2007, p. 1219.
3. Chatterjee 2020, p. 194.
4. Kutty et al. 2007, p. 1220.
5. Kutty et al. 2007, p. 1232.
6. Kutty et al. 2007, p. 1233.

Works cited

• Chatterjee, Sankar (2020). "The Age of Dinosaurs in the Land of Gonds". In Prasad, Guntupalli V.R.; Patnaik, Rajeev (eds.). Biological Consequences of Plate Tectonics. Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 181–226. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-49753-8_8. ISBN   978-3-030-49752-1. S2CID   229651571.
• Kutty, T.S.; Chatterjee, Sankar; Galton, Peter M.; Upchurch, Paul (2007). "Basal sauropodomorphs (Dinosauria: Saurischia) from the Lower Jurassic of India: their anatomy and relationships" . Journal of Paleontology. 81 (6): 1552–1574. Bibcode:2007JPal...81.1218K. doi:10.1666/04-074.1. S2CID   130508134.