|
Guanling Formation
The Guanling Formation is a Middle Triassic (Anisian or Pelsonian in the regional chronostratigraphy) geologic formation in southwestern China. Description The formation encompasses two members. The first member is primarily calcareous mudstone and dolomite, indicative of a coastal environment. The second member is a thicker marine sequence of dark micritic limestone with some dolomite. Two distinct fossil assemblages are found in the second member. The older Luoping biota preserves abundant arthropods along with fossils from other invertebrates and vertebrates, which are rare but well-preserved. The slightly younger Panxian fauna has a more diverse and common assortment of marine reptiles such as sauropterygians. Fossil content Among others, the following fossils were reported from the formation: * ''Atopodentatus'' * ''Barracudasauroides'' * ''Diandongosaurus'' * ''Dianopachysaurus'' * ''Honghesaurus'' * ''Kyphosichthys'' * ''Largocephalosaurus'' * ''Luopingosaurus'' * '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geological Formation
A geological formation, or simply formation, is a body of rock having a consistent set of physical characteristics ( lithology) that distinguishes it from adjacent bodies of rock, and which occupies a particular position in the layers of rock exposed in a geographical region (the stratigraphic column). It is the fundamental unit of lithostratigraphy, the study of strata or rock layers. A formation must be large enough that it can be mapped at the surface or traced in the subsurface. Formations are otherwise not defined by the thickness of their rock strata, which can vary widely. They are usually, but not universally, tabular in form. They may consist of a single lithology (rock type), or of alternating beds of two or more lithologies, or even a heterogeneous mixture of lithologies, so long as this distinguishes them from adjacent bodies of rock. The concept of a geologic formation goes back to the beginnings of modern scientific geology. The term was used by Abraham Gottlob Wer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Micrite
Micrite is a limestone constituent formed of calcareous particles ranging in diameter up to four μm formed by the recrystallization of lime mud. Flügel, Erik, ''Microfacies of Carbonate Rocks: Analysis, Interpretation and Application,'' Springer, pp 74-94, 2004 The term was coined in 1959 by Robert Folk for his carbonate rock classification system. Micrite is derived from MICRocrystalline calcITE. In the Folk classification micrite is a carbonate rock dominated by fine-grained calcite. Carbonate rocks that contain fine-grained calcite in addition to allochems are named ''intramicrite'', ''oomicrite'', ''biomicrite'' or ''pelmicrite'' under the Folk classification depending on the dominant allochem. Micrite is lime mud, carbonate of mud grade. Micrite as a component of carbonate rocks can occur as a matrix, as micrite envelopes around allochems or as peloids Peloids are allochems that are composed of micrite, irrespective of size, shape, or origin. The two primary types of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Luoxiongichthys
''Luoxiongichthys'' is an extinct genus of basal actinopterygian (ray-finned fish) known from the lower Middle Triassic (Pelsonian substage, Anisian stage) of Luoxiong Town, Luoping County of Yunnan Province, southwestern China. It is known from the holotype LPV-10144, which consists of nearly complete skeleton and skull, from the paratype LPV-10120, a partial skull and from the referred materials LPV-10625, LPV-6868 and LPV-11817. It was found in the new Middle Triassic Lagerstätte of the Guanling Formation, Member II. It was first named by Wen Wen, Qi-Yue Zhang, Chang-Yong Zhou, Jin-Yuan Huang, Zhong Qiang Chen and Michael J. Benton in 2011 and the type species is ''Luoxiongichthys hyperdorsalis''. The generic name is derived from ''Luoxiong'' Town, where the specimens were found and ''ichthys'', "fish" from Greek. The specific name comes from ''hyper'', "over" and ''dorsalis'', "of the back" from Greek in reference to its elevated "hump" in front of the dorsal fin. Phyloge ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Luopingosaurus
''Luopingosaurus'' (meaning "Luoping lizard") is an extinct genus of pachypleurosaurid sauropterygian from the Middle Triassic Guanling Formation of Yunnan Province, China. The genus contains a single species, ''L. imparilis'', known from a well-preserved, nearly complete skeleton. Discovery and naming The ''Luopingosaurus'' holotype specimen, IVPP V19049, was discovered in sediments of the Guanling Formation, dated to the Anisian age (Pelsonian substage) of the middle Triassic period, in Luoping County, Yunnan Province, China. This specimen consists of a nearly complete, ventrally-exposed, articulated individual, lacking only the end of the tail. The preserved portion of the skeleton measures long. In 2023, Xu ''et al''. described ''Luopingosaurus imparilis'', a new genus and species of pachypleurosaurid, based on these fossil remains. The generic name, "''Luopingosaurus''", combines a reference to the type locality in Luoping County with the Greek word "saurus", meaning ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Largocephalosaurus
''Largocephalosaurus'' is an extinct genus of basal saurosphargid, a marine reptile known from the Middle Triassic (Anisian age) Guanling Formation of Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces, southwestern China. It contains a type species, ''Largocephalosaurus polycarpon'', and a second species ''L. qianensis''. ''L. polycarpon'' was initially interpreted as an eosauropterygian sauropterygian closely related to European pachypleurosaurs and nothosaurids. However following additional preparation of the postcranial skeleton and the discovery of a second better known species ''L. qianensis'', Li ''et al.'' (2014) reinterpreted ''Largocephalosaurus'' as a basal member of the family Saurosphargidae and a close relative of ''Saurosphargis'' and '' Sinosaurosphargis''. According to Li ''et al.'' (2014), saurosphargids did not belong to Sauropterygia, although they were closely related to it, forming its sister taxon. Discovery The type species of ''Largocephalosaurus'', ''L. polycarpon'' is kno ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kyphosichthys
''Kyphosichthys'' is an extinct genus of basal actinopterygian bony fish known from the lower Middle Triassic (Anisian) marine deposits (Guanling Formation) in Luoping, eastern Yunnan Province, southwestern China. The species is the first known fossil record of highly deep-bodied ginglymodians. Description ''Kyphosichthys'' (Greek for "bent fish") has a strongly arched hump between the head and the dorsal fin, from which its name derives. The holotype measures 96 mm in total length, and 76 mm in standard length. The greatest body height occurs at the posterior opercular margin, where the body height is over 70% of the standard length. The dorsal fin and anal fin are located far back on the body, the latter is only half as long as the dorsal fin. The pelvic fins are much smaller than the pectoral fins. The forked caudal fin is hemi-heterocercal due to a heavy lobe extending into the dorsal lobe of the fin, but outwardly is nearly symmetrical. The body is covered in gan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Honghesaurus
''Honghesaurus'' is an extinct genus of pachypleurosaur from the Anisian-age Guanling Formation of China. The type specimen measures about in total body length. Classification The cladogram below follows Xu and colleagues (2022), when they used ''Youngina'' as a reference point for rooting the tree. Using a selection of placodont Placodonts (" Tablet teeth") are an extinct order of marine reptiles that lived during the Triassic period, becoming extinct at the end of the period. They were part of Sauropterygia, the group that includes plesiosaurs. Placodonts were genera ...s resulted in a less resolved topology. References Triassic sauropterygians Pachypleurosaurs Fossil taxa described in 2022 Anisian life {{triassic-reptile-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dianopachysaurus
''Dianopachysaurus'' is an extinct genus of pachypleurosaur known from the lower Middle Triassic (Anisian age) of Yunnan Province, southwestern China. It was found in the Middle Triassic Lagerstatte of the Guanling Formation. It was first named by Jun Liu, Olivier Rieppel, Da-Yong Jiang, Jonathan C. Aitchison, Ryosuke Motani, Qi-Yue Zhang, Chang-Yong Zhou and Yuan-Yuan Sun in 2011 and the type species is ''Dianopachysaurus dingi,'' thanking a Professor Ding for his help. ''Dianopachysaurus'' is most closely related to ''Keichousaurus'', another Chinese pachypleurosaur. Both belong to the family Keichousauridae. Pachypleurosaurs are hypothesized to have originated in the eastern Tethys Ocean (South China) before spreading and diversifying in the western Tethys in what is now Europe. A large ghost lineage of eastern pachypleurosaurs has long been inferred based on the phylogeny of the group. ''Dianopachysaurus'' represents an early stage in the radiation of pachypleurosaurs and it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diandongosaurus
''Diandongosaurus'' is an extinct genus of eosauropterygian known from the lower Middle Triassic (Anisian age) of Yunnan Province, southwestern China. It is known from the holotype IVPP V 17761, a complete and articulated skeleton with skull, which was found in the middle Triassic Lagerstätte of the Guanling Formation. It was first named by Qing-Hua Shang, Xiao-Chun Wu, Cun Li in 2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ... and the type species is ''Diandongosaurus acutidentatus''. A referred specimen suggests a total body length of . References Fossil taxa described in 2011 Sauropterygian genera Triassic sauropterygians Fossils of China Anisian life Guanling Formation {{triassic-reptile-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barracudasauroides
''Barracudasauroides'' is a genus of mixosaurid ichthyosaur which lived during the Middle Triassic. Fossils of this genus have been found in Guizhou Province, China. It is known from GMPKU-P-1033, a partial skeleton recovered from the Upper Member of the Guanling Formation of Yangjuan village, Xinmin area; this rock unit dates to the Pelsonian substage of the Anisian stage. It was named by Michael W. Maisch in 2010, and the type species is ''Barracudasauroides panxianensis''. See also * List of ichthyosaurs * Timeline of ichthyosaur research This timeline of ichthyosaur research is a chronological listing of events in the history of paleontology focused on the ichthyosauromorphs, a group of secondarily aquatic marine reptiles whose later members superficially resembled dolphins, shar ... References Middle Triassic ichthyosaurs Middle Triassic reptiles of Asia Fossil taxa described in 2010 Anisian life Guanling Formation Ichthyosauromorph genera {{Triassic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atopodentatus
''Atopodentatus'' is an extinct genus of basal sauropterygian known from the early Middle Triassic (Pelsonian substage, Anisian to Ladinian stage) of Luoping County, Yunnan Province, southwestern China. It contains a single species, ''Atopodentatus unicus''. It is thought to have lived between 247 and 240 million years ago, during the Middle Triassic period, about six million years after the Permian extinction. ''Atopodentatus'' was an herbivorous marine reptile, although marine reptiles are usually omnivores or carnivores. A near complete skeleton along with a left lateral portion of the skull were discovered near Daaozi village, Yunnan, China. The scientific name derives from the peculiar zipper-shaped morphology of the holotype specimen's jaws and unique dentition. However, two fossil skulls discovered in 2016 indicate that the holotype skull was badly damaged, and that the living animal actually had a hammer-shaped head with shovel-like jaws. Description ''Atopodentatus'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sauropterygia
Sauropterygia ("lizard flippers") is an extinct taxon of diverse, aquatic reptiles that developed from terrestrial ancestors soon after the end-Permian extinction and flourished during the Triassic before all except for the Plesiosauria became extinct at the end of that period. The plesiosaurs would continue to diversify until the end of the Mesozoic. Sauropterygians are united by a radical adaptation of their pectoral girdle, adapted to support powerful flipper strokes. Some later sauropterygians, such as the pliosaurs, developed a similar mechanism in their pelvis. Uniquely among reptiles, sauropterygians moved their tail vertically like modern cetaceans and sirenians. Origins and evolution The earliest sauropterygians appeared about 247 million years ago (Ma), at the start of the Middle Triassic: the first definite sauropterygian with exact stratigraphic datum lies within the Spathian division of the Olenekian era in South China. Early examples were small (around 60 c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
