Dinosaur Beds Explained

Dinosaur Beds
Type:Geological formation
Period:Aptian
Prilithology:Sandstone, siltstone, mudstone
Region:Northern Region
Country: Malawi
Unitof:Lupata Group
Subunits:Lower Member, Upper Member
Underlies:Unconformity with Pliocene Chiwondo Beds
Overlies:Precambrian metamorphic basement
Thickness:Upper member is 210m (690feet) thick in vicinity of CD-9 locality
Extent:Karonga District

The Dinosaur Beds is a geological formation in Malawi whose strata date back to the Early Cretaceous. The age of the deposit is poorly constrained, but is likely to date from the Barremian to Aptian.[1] Dinosaurs, turtles and crocodylomorphs remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[2] It is correlated with the Galula Formation in Tanzania. It consists of two members, a lower unfossiliferous member consisting of deep red stained sandstones, and an upper fossiliferous member consisting of white sands and grey to red mudstones and siltstones. The upper member is 210 m thick in the vicinity of the CD-9 locality.[3]

Vertebrate paleofauna

Invertebrate fauna

See also

Notes and References

  1. Widlansky. Sarah J.. Clyde. William C.. O'Connor. Patrick M.. Roberts. Eric M.. Stevens. Nancy J.. March 2018. Paleomagnetism of the Cretaceous Galula Formation and implications for vertebrate evolution. Journal of African Earth Sciences. 139. 403–420. 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2017.11.029. 1464-343X. free. 2018JAfES.139..403W .
  2. Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Early Cretaceous, Africa)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 571-573. .
  3. WINKLER. DALE A.. GOMANI. ELIZABETH M.. JACOBS. LOUIS L.. 2000. COMPARATIVE TAPHONOMY OF AN EARLY CRETACEOUS SAUROPOD QUARRY, MALAWI, AFRICA. Paleont. Soc. Korea Special Publication. 4. 99–114.
  4. "Table 13.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 269.