The Marree Subgroup, previously described as Maree Formation and Marree Formation, is a geological subgroup in the Eromanga Basin of South Australia whose strata date back to the Aptian. The subgroup was first described as a formation by Forbes in 1966.[2][3] Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[1]

Marree Subgroup
Stratigraphic range: Aptian-Albian[1]
TypeSubgroup
Unit ofRolling Downs Group
Sub-unitsBellinger Sandstone, Bulldog Shale, Coorikiana Sandstone, Oodnadatta Formation
UnderliesMackunda & Winton Formations
OverliesParabarana Sandstone, Cadna-owie Formation
Lithology
PrimarySiltstone
OtherGravel, conglomerate, shale, clay
Location
Coordinates30°26′0″S 137°10′0″E / 30.43333°S 137.16667°E / -30.43333; 137.16667
Approximate paleocoordinates57°06′S 117°18′E / 57.1°S 117.3°E / -57.1; 117.3
RegionSouth Australia
Country Australia
ExtentEromanga Basin
Type section
Named forMarree
Named byForbes
Year defined1966
Marree Subgroup is located in Australia
Marree Subgroup
Marree Subgroup (Australia)

An opalised plesiosaur specimen of the genus Umoonasaurus has been nicknamed 'Eric' and was described in 1998 by Schroeder.[4] The decapod crab Dioratiopus salebrosus was described in 1980.[5]

Vertebrate paleofauna

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Indeterminate theropod remains present in Western Australia.[1]

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs of the Marree Subgroup
Genus Species Presence Notes Images

Kakuru[1]

K. kujani[1]

Geographically present in Western Australia, Australia.[1]

"Hindlimb."[6]

Sauropterygians

Sauropterygians of the Marree Subgroup
Genus Species Presence Notes Images

Umoonasaurus[7]

U. demoscyllus[7]

Bulldog Shale of northern South Australia.[7]

Known from an opalized skeleton nicknamed 'Eric'.

 

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Early Cretaceous, Australasia)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 573-574. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
  2. ^ 1988 - Tanh Van Doan - Sedimentology and mineralogy of some Jurassic-Cretaceous sediments of the southern Eromanga Basin - MSc. thesis
  3. ^ "Marree Subgroup". Australian Stratigraphic Units Database. Geoscience Australia and Australian Stratigraphy Commission. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  4. ^ 1999 - Recent developments in Australasian sauropterygian palaeontology (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) - Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement No. 57: 201-205
  5. ^ Wooldridge Creek, Alberga River at Fossilworks.org
  6. ^ "Table 4.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 76.
  7. ^ a b c Kear; Schroeder; Lee, Benjamin P; Natalie I; Michael S. Y (2006). "An archaic crested plesiosaur in opal from the Lower Cretaceous high-latitude deposits of Australia". Biology Letters. 2 (4): 615–619. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2006.0504. PMC 1833998. PMID 17148303.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Further reading

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  • Schroeder, N. (1998). A review of order Pliosauria, and the description of a new, opalised pliosauroid, from the Early Cretaceous of Coober Pedy, South Australia. M.Sc. thesis, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria
  • M. F. Glaessner. 1980. New Cretaceous and Tertiary crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura) from Australia and New Zealand. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 104(6):171-192