The Toutunhe Formation is a
Late Jurassic
The Late Jurassic is the third epoch of the Jurassic Period, and it spans the geologic time from 163.5 ± 1.0 to 145.0 ± 0.8 million years ago (Ma), which is preserved in Upper Jurassic strata.Owen 1987.
In European lithostratigraphy, the name ...
geological
formation
Formation may refer to:
Linguistics
* Back-formation, the process of creating a new lexeme by removing or affixes
* Word formation, the creation of a new word by adding affixes
Mathematics and science
* Cave formation or speleothem, a secondar ...
in China, specifically dating to the
Oxfordian and
Kimmeridgian
In the geologic timescale, the Kimmeridgian is an age in the Late Jurassic Epoch and a stage in the Upper Jurassic Series. It spans the time between 157.3 ± 1.0 Ma and 152.1 ± 0.9 Ma (million years ago). The Kimmeridgian follows the Oxfordian ...
stages.
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...
remains diagnostic to the
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
level are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.
[Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517-607.] The lower portion of the formation consists of grey to reddish mudstone with medium to coarse grained cross bedded sandstone, while the upper portion consists primarily of brown-red-purple mudstone, interbedded with fine to medium grained laminated sandstone.
Paleofauna
''
Tianchisaurus nedegoapeferima
''Tianchisaurus'' (meaning "heavenly pool lizard"), also invalidly called ''Tianchiasaurus'' and "Jurassosaurus", is a genus of ankylosaurian dinosaur from the Late Jurassic ( Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian)-aged Toutunhe Formation of China. If i ...
'' - "Partial skeleton."
["Table 17.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 368.]
See also
*
List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
This list of dinosaur-bearing rock formations is a list of geologic formations in which dinosaur fossils have been documented.
Containing body fossils
* List of stratigraphic units with dinosaur body fossils
** List of stratigraphic units with few ...
**
List of stratigraphic units with few dinosaur genera
This list of stratigraphic units with few non-avian dinosaur genera includes Mesozoic stratigraphic units of formation rank or higher that have produced dinosaur body fossils which have been referred to at most five genera. Since taxonomy frequent ...
Footnotes
References
* Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. 861 pp. .
Jurassic China
Jurassic System of Asia
Geologic formations of China
{{China-geologic-formation-stub