The Gaogou Formation is a fossiliferous geological formation located in the Xixia Basin of China. The formation dates back to the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Coniacian) and fossilized eggs of dinosaurs and turtles are commonly reported from the formation. Dinosaur taxa is also reported from the unit.

Gaogou Formation
Stratigraphic range: Cenomanian-Coniacian
~96–88 Ma
Zhang Fengchen at the Gaogou Formation
TypeGeological formation
Sub-unitsUpper Member, Lower Member
UnderliesMajiacun Formation
OverliesBaiwan Formation
Lithology
PrimaryConglomerate
OtherMudstone
Location
Coordinates33°24′N 112°54′E / 33.4°N 112.9°E / 33.4; 112.9
Approximate paleocoordinates32°42′N 104°42′E / 32.7°N 104.7°E / 32.7; 104.7
RegionHenan Province
Country China
ExtentXixia Basin
Gaogou Formation is located in China
Gaogou Formation
Gaogou Formation
Gaogou Formation
Gaogou Formation
Gaogou Formation (China)
Gaogou Formation is located in Henan
Gaogou Formation
Gaogou Formation
Gaogou Formation
Gaogou Formation
Gaogou Formation (Henan)

Paleobiota of the Gaogou Formation edit

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Dinosaurs edit

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images
Baotianmansaurus B. henanensis Neixiang "Partial vertebrae and scapula."[1] A titanosauriform.
Beibeilong B. sinensis Heimaogou "Embryonic skeleton with associated partial nest."[2] A large caenagnathid.  

Eggs edit

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images
Dendroolithus D. xichuanensis Xichuan "Eggshell fragments and collapsed eggs."[3] Dendroolithid eggs laid by ornithopods, sauropod or theropods.
Indeterminate Xixia "Intact eggs and egg clutches."[3] Dendroolithid eggs laid by ornithopods, sauropod or theropods.  
Dictyoolithus D. neixiangensis Xixia Not specified.[3] Dictyoolithid eggs.
Faveoloolithus Indeterminate Nanxiang "Single egg."[3] Faveoloolithid egg.
Macroelongatoolithus M. xixiaensis Heimaogou "Partial nest of 6-8 eggs, and eggshell fragments."[2] Elongatoolithid eggs laid by Beibeilong.  
M. xixiaensis Neixiang, Xixia "Isolated eggs and complete egg clutches."[3] Elongatoolithid eggs laid by caenagnathids.  
Neixiangoolithus N. yani Neixiang "Multiple egg clutches."[4] Testudoolithid eggs laid by a turtle.
Paraspheroolithus P. cf. irenensis Xixia "Complete egg clutches."[3] Spheroolithid eggs.
Placoolithus P. tumiaolingensis Yunxian "Several eggs and egg clutches."[5] Dendroolithid eggs laid by ornithopods, sauropod or theropods.
Prismatoolithus P. gebiensis Neixiang, Xixia "Several egg clutches."[3] Prismatoolithid eggs laid by troodontids.  
Youngoolithus Y. xiaguanensis Xixia "Clutch with 4 eggs."[3] Youngoolithid eggs.

Flora edit

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images
Araucariaceae indet. Indeterminate Xixia "Amber pieces."[6] A conifer.  
Plantae indet. Indeterminate Not specified. Upper Member "Rhizoliths."[7] Root traces.

Invertebrates edit

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images
Beaconites B. antarcticus Not specified. Upper Member "Horizontal-overtical, straight to slightly curved, single, lined, meniscate burrows."[7] Invertebrate traces.
B. capronus Not specified. Upper Member "Horizontal to vertical, straight to slightly curved, lined, unbranched burrows."[7] Invertebrate traces.
B. coronus Not specified. Upper Member "Mostly horizontal to vertical, meniscate burrows."[7] Invertebrate traces.
Gastruichnus G. xixiaensis Not specified. Upper Member "Large, high dipping, slightly curved and unbranched burrow."[7] Traces made by molluscs.
Palaeophycus P. heberti Not specified. Upper Member "Straight to curved, horizontal to vertical, unbranched and lined burrows."[7] Invertebrate traces.
P. megas Not specified. Upper Member "Curved, horizontal to vertical, unbranched and lined burrows."[7] Invertebrate traces.
Skolithos S. linearis Not specified. "Cylindrical burrows."[7] Invertebrate traces.
S. magnus Not specified. "Cylindrical to subcylindrical, vertical and slightly curved burrows."[7] Invertebrate traces.

Turtles edit

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images
Yuchelys Y. nanyangensis Neixiang "Partial skeleton with carapace."[8] A nanhsiungchelyid.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Zhang, X.; Lü, J.; Xu, L.; Li, J.; Yang, L.; Hu, W.; Jia, S.; Ji, Q.; Zhang, C. (2009). "A New Sauropod Dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Gaogou Formation of Nanyang, Henan Province". Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition). 83 (2): 212. doi:10.1111/j.1755-6724.2009.00032.x. S2CID 129422997.
  2. ^ a b Pu, H.; Zelenitsky, D. K.; Lü, J.; Currie, P. J.; Carpenter, K.; Xu, L.; Koppelhus, E. B.; Jia, S.; Xiao, L.; Chuang, H.; Li, T.; Kundrát, M.; Shen, C. (2017). "Perinate and eggs of a giant caenagnathid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of central China". Nature Communications. 8 (14952): 14952. doi:10.1038/ncomms14952. PMC 5477524. PMID 28486442.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Liang, X.; Wen, S.; Yang, D.; Zhou, S.; Wu, S. (2009). "Dinosaur eggs and dinosaur egg-bearing deposits (Upper Cretaceous) of Henan Province, China: Occurrences, palaeoenvironments, taphonomy and preservation". Progress in Natural Science. 19 (11): 1587−1601. doi:10.1016/j.pnsc.2009.06.012.
  4. ^ Xu, L.; Xie, J.; Zhang, S.; Choi, S.; Kim, N.-H.; Gao, D.; Jin, X.; Jia, S.; Gao, Y. (2022). "Fossil turtle eggs from the Upper Cretaceous Gaogou Formation, Xiaguan-Gaoqiu Basin, Neixiang County, Henan Province, China: Interpretation of the transformation from aragonite to calcite in fossil turtle eggshell". Cretaceous Research. 134: 105166. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2022.105166. S2CID 246627436.
  5. ^ Zhang, S.; Yang, T.-R.; Li, Z.; Hu, Y. (2018). "New dinosaur egg material from Yunxian, Hubei Province, China resolves the classification of dendroolithid eggs" (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 63 (4): 671−678. doi:10.4202/app.00523.2018.
  6. ^ Shi, G.; Dutta, S.; Paul, S.; Wang, B.; Jacques, F. M. B. (2014). "Terpenoid Compositions and Botanical Origins of Late Cretaceous and Miocene Amber from China". PLOS ONE. 9 (10): e111303. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111303. PMC 4213060. PMID 25354364.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wang, C.-Z.; Wang, J.; Hu, B.; Lu, X.-H. (2016). "Trace fossils and sedimentary environments of the upper cretaceous in the Xixia Basin, Southwestern Henan Province, China". Geodinamica Acta. 28 (1–2): 53−70. doi:10.1080/09853111.2015.1065307.
  8. ^ Tong, H.; Xu, L.; Buffetaut, E.; Zhang, X.; Jia, S. (2012). "A new nanhsiungchelyid turtle from the Late Cretaceous of Neixiang, Henan Province, China". Annales de Paléontologie. 98 (4): 303–314. doi:10.1016/j.annpal.2012.08.001.