The Ziliujing Formation is a

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 expo ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, It is

Early Jurassic The Early Jurassic Epoch (geology), Epoch (in chronostratigraphy corresponding to the Lower Jurassic series (stratigraphy), Series) is the earliest of three epochs of the Jurassic Period. The Early Jurassic starts immediately after the Triassic� ...

in age. It is part of the stratigraphy of the

Sichuan Basin The Sichuan Basin (), formerly transliterated as the Szechwan Basin, sometimes called the Red Basin, is a lowland region in southwestern China. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides and is drained by the upper Yangtze River and its tributar ...

. The dinosaur ''

Gongxianosaurus ''Gongxianosaurus'' is a genus of basal sauropod dinosaur from the early Jurassic Period (Sinemurian- Pliensbachian stage). The only species is ''Gongxianosaurus shibeiensis''. Based on four fragmentary to complete specimens found in the Zil ...

'' and indeterminate theropod material are known from the Dongyuemiao Member of the formation, as well as dinosaur footprints, '' Zizhongosaurus'' and indeterminate prosauropods from the Da'anzhai Member. The basal sauropod '' Sanpasaurus'' is known from the Maanshan Member. The basal ornithschian '' Archaeocursor'' is known from the formation. A possible unnamed stegosaur and the pliosauroid

plesiosaur The Plesiosauria or plesiosaurs are an Order (biology), order or clade of extinct Mesozoic marine reptiles, belonging to the Sauropterygia. Plesiosaurs first appeared in the latest Triassic Period (geology), Period, possibly in the Rhaetian st ...

'' Sinopliosaurus'' are also known from this formation but they were found an indeterminate member. An unnamed teleosaurid known from a complete skull has also been found in the formation, pending a formal description. The deposition environment during the Da'anzhai Member in the lower Toarcian is thought to have been that of a giant freshwater lake encompassing the whole of the Sichuan basin, around 3 times larger than

Lake Superior Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. Lake Michigan–Huron has a larger combined surface area than Superior, but is normally considered tw ...

, coeval with the

Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event The Toarcian extinction event, also called the Pliensbachian-Toarcian extinction event, the Early Toarcian mass extinction, the Early Toarcian palaeoenvironmental crisis, or the Jenkyns Event, was an extinction event that occurred during the early ...

around 183 Ma. The Sinemurian-Pliensbachian boundary event (192.9 Ma) has been recorded on the top of the Dongyuemiao Member, while lower parts of this member are of Earliest Sinemurian age (around 199 Ma). __TOC__

Paleofauna

Bivalves

Gastropods

Phyllopods

Fish

Plesiosaurs

Testudinata

Crocodylomorphs

Dinosaurs

Ornithischians

Prosauropods

Sauropods

Theropods

Flora

, England * Jurensismergel Formation, Germany * Posidonia Shale, Germany * Sorthat Formation, Denmark * Hasle Formation, Denmark * Zagaje Formation, Poland * Drzewica Formation, Poland * Ciechocinek Formation, Poland * Borucice Formation, Poland * Rotzo Formation, Italy * Saltrio Formation, Italy * Moltrasio Formation, Italy * Marne di Monte Serrone, Italy * Calcare di Sogno, Italy * Podpeč Limestone, Slovenia * Coimbra Formation, Portugal * El Pedregal Formation, Spain * Fernie Formation, Canada * Whiteaves Formation, British Columbia * Navajo Sandstone, Utah * Yanan Formation, China * Aganane Formation, Morocco * Tafraout Group, Morocco * Azilal Formation, Morocco * Budoš Limestone, Montenegro * Kota Formation, India * Cañadón Asfalto Formation, Argentina *

Los Molles Formation The Los Molles Formation is a geologic formation of Early to Middle Jurassic age, located at northern and central part of Neuquén Basin at Mendoza Shelf in Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the s ...

, Argentina * Kandreho Formation, Madagascar *

Elliot Formation The Elliot Formation is a geological formation and forms part of the Stormberg Group, the uppermost geological group that comprises the greater Karoo Supergroup. Outcrops of the Elliot Formation have been found in the northern Eastern Cape, so ...

, South Africa * Clarens Formation, South Africa * Evergreen Formation, Australia * Cattamarra Coal Measures, Australia *

Hanson Formation The Hanson Formation (also known as the Shafer Peak Formation) is a geologic formation on Mount Kirkpatrick and north Victoria Land, Ross Dependency, Antarctica. It is one of the two major dinosaur-bearing rock groups found on Antarctica to date; ...

, Antarctica * Mawson Formation, Antarctica

References

{{reflist Jurassic System of Asia Jurassic China Toarcian Stage