Qigu Formation Explained

Qigu Formation
Type:Geological formation
Age:Oxfordian-Early Kimmeridgian,
Period:Oxfordian
Prilithology:Siltstone, sandstone
Region:Xinjiang
Coordinates:43.6°N 87.3°W
Paleocoordinates:42.9°N 97.5°W
Underlies:Kalaza Formation
Overlies:Toutunhe Formation (Junggar) Qiketai Formation (equivalent unit in the Turpan Basin)
Thickness:Over 520m (1,710feet)
Extent:Southern Junggar Basin (blue)
 Turpan Basin (disputed) (cyan)

The Qigu Formation is a Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) geologic formation in the Southern Junggar Basin in China. Indeterminate Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, including theropod teeth and a fibula.[1] a stegosaur dorsal vertebra[2] and a Eusauropod tooth.[3] Xinjiangtitan was erroneously thought to be from this formation, but it is actually from the older Qiketai Formation, which is in a different basin.[4] The term "Qigu Formation" is also used to sediments of equivalent age in the Turpan Basin, but this might better be treated as a separate formation. It is laterally equivalent to the Shishugou Formation.

Fossil content

The mass accumulation of Jurassic freshwater turtle fossils belonging to the genus Annemys, discovered in 2009 at a site nicknamed "Mesa Chelonia" in Shanshan County, Xinjiang is thought to likely belong to the Qigu Formation, though it belongs to the strata of the Turpan Basin. Remains of indeterminate dinosaurs, including ankylosaurs, metriacanthosaurids, and dromaeosaurids are known from the formation.[5] [6] [7]

The remains of indeterminate rhamphorhynchid pterosaurs have been recovered from the formation. Among others, the following fossils have been found in the formation:[8]

Crocodyliformes
TaxaSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Nominosuchus IndeterminateLiuhuanggou bonebed
Sunosuchus
Theriosuchus
Mammaliamorphs[9]
TaxaSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
NanolestesN. mackennaiLiuhuanggou bonebed
TegotheriumIndeterminate
DsungarodonD. zuoiDocodontan
SineleutherusS. uyguricus
EutriconodontaIndeterminate

See also

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Maisch. Michael W.. Matzke. Andreas T.. October 2003. Theropods (dinosauria, saurischia) from the middle Jurassic Toutunhe Formation of the Southern Junggar Basin, NW China. Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 77. 2. 281–292. 10.1007/BF03006942. 2003PalZ...77..281M . 129631182. 0031-0220.
  2. Wings. Oliver. Pfretzschner. Hans-Ulrich. Maisch. Michael W.. 2007-01-01. The first evidence of a stegosaur (Dinosauria, Ornithischia) from the Jurassic of Xinjiang/China. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen. 243. 1. 113–118. 10.1127/0077-7749/2007/0243-0113. 0077-7749.
  3. Maisch. Michael W.. Matzke. Andreas T.. 2019-01-01. First record of a eusauropod (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Upper Jurassic Qigu-Formation (southern Junggar Basin, China), and a reconsideration of Late Jurassic sauropod diversity in Xinjiang. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen. 291. 1. 109–117. 10.1127/njgpa/2019/0792. 135213577 . 0077-7749.
  4. Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517-607.
  5. Augustin. Felix J.. Matzke. Andreas T.. Maisch. Michael W.. Pfretzschner. Hans-Ulrich. 2020-12-15. A theropod dinosaur feeding site from the Upper Jurassic of the Junggar Basin, NW China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. en. 560. 109999. 10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109999. 2020PPP...56009999A . 225210438 . 0031-0182.
  6. Augustin. Felix J.. Matzke. Andreas T.. Maisch. Michael W.. Pfretzschner. Hans-Ulrich. July 2020. First evidence of an ankylosaur (Dinosauria, Ornithischia) from the Jurassic Qigu Formation (Junggar Basin, NW China) and the early fossil record of Ankylosauria. Geobios. 61. en. S0016699520300504. 10.1016/j.geobios.2020.06.005. 2020Geobi..61....1A . 225545154 .
  7. Maisch. Michael W.. Matzke. Andreas T.. 2020-01-01. Small theropod teeth (Dinosauria) from the Upper Jurassic Qigu Formation of the southern Junggar Basin, NW China. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen. 295. 1. 91–100. 10.1127/njgpa/2020/0869. 213709095 .
  8. http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=displayStrata&geological_group=&formation=Qigu&group_formation_member=Qigu Qigu Formation
  9. Thomas Martin . Alexander O. Averianov . Hans-Ulrich Pfretzschner. 2010. Mammals from the Late Jurassic Qigu Formation in the Southern Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, Northwest China. Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments. 90. 3. 295–319. 10.1007/s12549-010-0030-4. 2010PdPe...90..295M . 129008041.