Sao Khua Formation Explained

Sao Khua Formation
Type:Geological formation
Age:late Valanginian-early Hauterivian
~
Period:Hauterivian
Prilithology:Sandstone, conglomerate
Otherlithology:Siltstone, claystone
Namedby:Ward & Bunnag
Year Ts:1964
Region:Indochina
Coordinates:16.7°N 102.3°W
Paleocoordinates:14.3°N 112.4°W
Unitof:Khorat Group
Underlies:Phu Phan Formation
Overlies:Phra Wihan Formation
Thickness:~120m (390feet)
Extent:Khorat Plateau

The Sao Khua Formation is a middle member of the Khorat Group. It consists of an alteration of pale red to yellowish-gray, fine to medium-grained sandstone and grayish-reddish brown siltstone and clay. Rare pale red to light gray conglomerates, containing carbonate pebbles, are also characteristic of this formation. This geological formation in Thailand dates to the Early Cretaceous age, specifically the Valanginian through Hauterivian stages.[1]

Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[2]

Depositional environment

Baser on paleosols and lithostratigraphy, the Sao Khua Formation is believed to have been deposited in a warm to slightly cool semi-arid climate by a meandering river system. Geochemistry is indicative of a stable humid subtropical climate regime, and sedimentation is thought to have occurred in a floodplain setting which was fed by bedload-rich large meandering channels. Paleocurrent analysis suggests the sand channels at the time of deposition of the formation probably formed a braided channel environment.[3]

Fossil content

Reptiles

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs reported from the Sao Khua Formation
Genus Species Presence MaterialNotes Images
BrachiosauridaeIndeterminatePhu Wat B Locality, Phu Kao Mountain rangeA tooth.[5] Similar to other brachiosaurid teeth.
CarcharodontosauridaeLocality Phu Wiang 1a, Khon Kaen province.[6] "Fragment of the posterior part of a right maxilla".A carcharodontosaur.
Compsognathidae?Indeterminate[7] [8] A very small theropod form.
KinnareemimusK. khonkaenensisLocality Phu Wiang 5, Phu Wiang district, Khon Kaen province.[9] Vertebral, pelvic and limb elements.An ornithomimosaur.
Ornithurae?Khok Kong, Kalasin province.[10] A humerus fragment.May represent an early ornithurine, and probably is not an enantiornithine.
PhuwiangosaurusP. sirindhornaeKhon Kaen province.[11] Nong Bua Lamphu Province."Partial skeletons, juvenile - adult", & 2 additional vertebrae.[12] A scapula and a partial skeleton have also been referred.A titanosaur.
Phuwiang spinosaurid BIndeterminatePW9 ‘Hin Lad Yao’ locality site A and site B, Phu Wiang district, Khon Kaen province.[13] Caudal vertebrae.A spinosaur.
PhuwiangvenatorP. yaemniyomiPhu Wiang Site 9B, Phu Wiang Mountain, Khon Kaen province.[14] A megaraptoran.
SiamosaurusS. suteethorniIsolated teeth.[15] [16] A potentially dubious spinosaur.
SiamotyrannusS. isanensis"Pelvis, dorsal, sacral, and caudal vertebrae."[17] [18] An avetheropodan of uncertain position
VayuraptorV. nongbualamphuensisPhu Wat Site A1 Locality, Nong Sang, Nong Bua Lamphu province.A megaraptoran.

Pseudosuchians

Pseudosuchians reported from the Sao Khua Formation
Genus Species Presence MaterialNotes Images
GoniopholisG. phuwiangensisPhu Wiang district.[21] A dentary.[22] Reassigned to Sunosuchus.
SiamosuchusS. phuphokensisPhu Phok, Kok Prasil Sub-district, Phu Phan district, Sakon Nakhon province.[23] A partly articulated skeleton (PPC-1).A goniopholidid.
SunosuchusS. phuwiangensisPhu Wiang district.A dentary.Originally reported as Goniopholis phuwiangensis.
TheriosuchusT. grandinarisPhu Phok, Kok Prasil Sub-district, Phu Phan district, Sakon Nakhon province.[24] "PPC-2, a nearly complete rostrum and dentary".An atoposaurid.
VaranosuchusV. sakonnakhonensisPhu Sung locality near Mueang Sakon Nakhon district, Sakon Nakhon province.[25] A nearly complete skull and skeleton (SM-2021-1-97/101), a nearly complete skull (SM-2023-1-16), and a partial skull table (SM-2023-1-17).An atoposaurid.

Turtles

Turtles reported from the Sao Khua Formation
Genus Species Presence MaterialNotes Images
IsanemysI. srisukiKalasin, Khon Kaen and Sakon Nakhon provinces.[27] Over 20 shells & additional isolated shell plates.An adocid.
KizylkumemysK. sp.Khon Kaen, Kalasin and Nong Bua Lamphu provinces.Abundant but very fragmentary shell plates.A carettochelyid.
ProtoshachemysP. rubraPhu Din Daeng, Nakhon Phanom province.[28] Shell material.An adocid.

Fish

Cartilaginous fish

Cartilaginous fish reported from the Sao Khua Formation
Genus Species Presence MaterialNotes Images
HeteroptychodusH. steinmanniOver 130 fragmentary teeth.[30] A hybodont
HybodontiformesIncertae sedis2 dermal denticles and a cephalic spines.Indeterminate hybodontiform remains
Hybodus"H." sp. A18 fragmentary crowns.A hybodontid
H. sp. BOver 170 incomplete teeth.A hybodontid
IsanodusI. paladejiPhu Phan Thong, Nong Bua Lamphu province.185 incomplete teeth.A hybodont
LonchidionL. khoratensisPhu Phan Thong, Nong Bua Lamphu province.25 teeth.A hybodont
MukdahanodusM. trisivakuliiNong Sung district, Mukdahan province.11 isolated crowns.A hybodont
ParvodusP. sp.19 teeth.A hybodont
SclerorhynchidaeBase of Phu Kum Khao hill in Sahatsakhan, Kalasin province.[31] A rostral tooth (SM2012-1-021).A sawskate

Invertebrates

Bivalves

See also

Notes and References

  1. Tucker . Ryan T. . Hyland . Ethan G. . Gates . Terry A. . King . M. Ryan . Roberts . Eric M. . Foley . Elliot K. . Berndt . David . Hanta . Rattanaphorn . Khansubha . Sasa-on . Aswasereelert . Wasinee . Zanno . Lindsay E. . September 2022 . Age, depositional history, and paleoclimatic setting of Early Cretaceous dinosaur assemblages from the Sao Khua Formation (Khorat Group), Thailand . Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology . 601 . 111107 . 10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111107 . 2022PPP...60111107T . 249702713 . 0031-0182.
  2. Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Early Cretaceous, Asia)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 563-570. .
  3. Chenrai . Piyaphong . 2012-01-01 . Paleocurrent Analysis of the Sao Khua Formation, Khorat Group, Nong Bua Lamphu region, NE Thailand . Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering . en . 37 . 1 . 115–120 . 10.1007/s13369-011-0144-7 . 136504980 . 2191-4281.
  4. Nonsrirach . Thanit . Manitkoon . Sita . Lauprasert . Komsorn . 2021 . First occurrence of brachyopid temnospondyls in Southeast Asia and review of the Mesozoic amphibians from Thailand . Fossil Record . 24 . 1 . 33 . 10.5194/fr-24-33-2021 . 233147622 . 2193-0074. free . 2021FossR..24...33N .
  5. Samathi . Adun . Suteethorn . Suravech . Boonjarern . Tanachot . Sutcha . Krishna . Suteethorn . Varavudh . April 2024 . Dinosaur fauna from the Lower Cretaceous of Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham, northeastern Thailand: a review and update . Palaeoworld . 33 . 2 . 420–438 . 10.1016/j.palwor.2023.03.007 . 2024Palae..33..420S . 1871-174X.
  6. Buffetaut . Eric . Suteethorn . Varavudh . January 2012 . A carcharodontosaurid theropod (Dinosauria, Saurischia) in the Sao Khua Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian) of Thailand . 2012 EAVP Abstracts . 27–30.
  7. Buffetaut . Eric . Suteethorn . Varavudh . 1999-06-15 . The dinosaur fauna of the Sao Khua Formation of Thailand and the beginning of the Cretaceous radiation of dinosaurs in Asia . Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology . en . 150 . 1 . 13–23 . 10.1016/S0031-0182(99)00004-8 . 1999PPP...150...13B . 0031-0182.
  8. Buffetaut . Eric . Suteethorn . Varavudh . Le Loeuff . Jean . Khansubha . Sasa-On . Tong . Haiyan . Wongko . K. . January 2005 . The dinosaur fauna from the Khok Kruat Formation (Early Cretaceous) of Thailand . International Conference on Geology, Geotechnology and Mineral Resources of Indochina (GEOINDO 2005) . 575–581.
  9. Buffetaut . Eric . Suteethorn . Varavudh . Tong . Haiyan . May 2009 . An early 'ostrich dinosaur' (Theropoda: Ornithomimosauria) from the Early Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation of NE Thailand . Geological Society, London, Special Publications . 315 . 1 . 229–243 . 10.1144/sp315.16 . 2009GSLSP.315..229B . 128633687 . 0305-8719.
  10. Buffetaut . Eric . Dyke . Gareth . Suteethorn . Varavudh . Tong . Haiyan . 2005-12-01 . First record of a fossil bird from the Early Cretaceous of Thailand . Comptes Rendus Palevol . en . 4 . 8 . 681–686 . 10.1016/j.crpv.2005.06.002 . 2005CRPal...4..681B . 1631-0683.
  11. Suteethorn . Suravech . Loeuff . Jean Le . Buffetaut . Eric . Suteethorn . Varavudh . 2010 . Description of topotypes of Phuwiangosaurus sirindhornae, a sauropod from the Sao Khua Formation (Early Cretaceous) of Thailand, and their phylogenetic implications . Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen . 256 . 1 . 109 . 10.1127/0077-7749/2010/0036 . 0077-7749.
  12. "Table 13.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 268.
  13. Samathi . Adun . Sander . P. Martin . Chanthasit . Phornphen . February 2021 . A spinosaurid from Thailand (Sao Khua Formation, Early Cretaceous) and a reassessment of Camarillasaurus cirugedae from the Early Cretaceous of Spain . Historical Biology . 33 . 4 . 3480–3494 . 10.1080/08912963.2021.1874372. 2021HBio...33.3480S . 233884025 .
  14. Samathi . Adun . Chanthasit . Phornphen . Sander . P. Martin . 2019 . Two new basal coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs from the Lower Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation of Thailand . Acta Palaeontologica Polonica . 64 . 2 . 239–260 . 10.4202/app.00540.2018 . free.
  15. Bertin . Tor . December 2010 . A catalogue of material and review of the Spinosauridae . PalArch's Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology . 7 . 4 . 1–39.
  16. "Table 4.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 78.
  17. "Table 4.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 74.
  18. Buffetaut . Eric . Suteethorn . Varavudh . Tong . Haiyan . June 1996 . The earliest known tyrannosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Thailand . Nature . en . 381 . 6584 . 689–691 . 10.1038/381689a0 . 1996Natur.381..689B . 7350556 . 1476-4687.
  19. Fernandez . Vincent . Buffetaut . Eric . Suteethorn . Varavudh . Rage . Jean-Claude . Tafforeau . Paul . Kundrát . Martin . 2015-07-15 . Evidence of Egg Diversity in Squamate Evolution from Cretaceous Anguimorph Embryos . PLOS ONE . en . 10 . 7 . e0128610 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0128610 . 1932-6203 . 4503689 . 26176757 . free. 2015PLoSO..1028610F .
  20. Buffetaut . Eric . Grellet-Tinner . Gerald . Suteethorn . Varavudh . Cuny . Gilles . Tong . Haiyan . Košir . Adrijan . Cavin . Lionel . Chitsing . Suwanna . Griffiths . Peter J. . Tabouelle . Jérôme . Le Loeuff . Jean . 2005-09-13 . Minute theropod eggs and embryo from the Lower Cretaceous of Thailand and the dinosaur-bird transition . Naturwissenschaften . 92 . 10 . 477–482 . 10.1007/s00114-005-0022-9 . 16158273 . 2005NW.....92..477B . 26168801 . 0028-1042.
  21. Buffetaut . Eric . Ingavat . Rucha . 1983-01-01 . Goniopholis phuwiangensis nov. sp., a newmesosuchian crocodile from the Mesozoic of north-eastern Thailand . Geobios . en . 16 . 1 . 79–91 . 10.1016/S0016-6995(83)80048-5 . 1983Geobi..16...79B . 0016-6995.
  22. De Andrade . M. B. . Edmonds . R. . Benton . M. J. . Schouten . R. . A new Berriasian species of Goniopholis (Mesoeucrocodylia, Neosuchia) from England, and a review of the genus . 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2011.00709.x . Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society . 163 . S66–S108 . 2011 . 83181094 .
  23. Lauprasert . Komsorn . Cuny . Gilles . Buffetaut . Eric . Suteethorn . Varavudh . Thirakhupt . Kumthorn . 2007 . Siamosuchus phuphokensis, a new goniopholidid from the Early Cretaceous (ante-Aptian) of northeastern Thailand . Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France . 178 . 3 . 201 . 10.2113/gssgfbull.178.3.201 . 1777-5817.
  24. Lauprasert . Komsorn . Laojumpon . Chalida . Saenphala . Wanitchaphat . Cuny . Gilles . Thirakhupt . Kumthorn . Suteethorn . Varavudh . 2010-06-12 . Atoposaurid crocodyliforms from the Khorat Group of Thailand: first record of Theriosuchus from Southeast Asia . Paläontologische Zeitschrift . 85 . 1 . 37–47 . 10.1007/s12542-010-0071-z . 128623617 . 0031-0220.
  25. Pochat-Cottilloux . Yohan . Lauprasert . Komsorn . Chanthasit . Phornphen . Manitkoon . Sita . Adrien . Jérôme . Lachambre . Joël . Amiot . Romain . Martin . Jeremy E. . 2024-01-09 . New Cretaceous neosuchians (Crocodylomorpha) from Thailand bridge the evolutionary history of atoposaurids and paralligatorids . Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society . In press . 1–27 . 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad195 .
  26. Cuny . Gilles . Suteethorn . V. . 2003-01-01 . A Pterodactyloid tooth from the Sao Khua Formation (Early Cretaceous) of Thailand. . Mahasarakham University Journal . 22 . 92–98.
  27. Tong . Haiyan . Claude . Julien . Suteethorn . Varavudh . Naksri . Wilailuck . Buffetaut . Eric . May 2009 . Turtle assemblages of the Khorat Group (Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous) of NE Thailand and their palaeobiogeographical significance . Geological Society, London, Special Publications . 315 . 1 . 141–152 . 10.1144/sp315.11 . 2009GSLSP.315..141T . 130709324 . 0305-8719.
  28. Tong . Haiyan . Buffetaut . Eric . Suteethorn . Varavudh . Suteethorn . Suravech . Cuny . Gilles . Cavin . Lionel . Deesri . Uthumporn . Martin . Jeremy E. . Wongko . Kamonrak . Naksri . Wilailuck . Claude . Julien . 2019-07-01 . Phu Din Daeng, a new Early Cretaceous vertebrate locality on the Khorat Plateau, NE Thailand . Annales de Paléontologie . Palaeobiodiversity of Southeast Asia, issue 1 . en . 105 . 3 . 223–237 . 10.1016/j.annpal.2019.04.004 . 2019AnPal.105..223T . 189968031 . 0753-3969.
  29. Cavin . Lionel . Suteethorn . Varavudh . Buffetaut . Eric . Claude . Julien . Cuny . Gilles . Le Loeuff . Jean . Tong . Haiyan . 2007-12-12 . The first sinamiid fish (Holostei: Halecomorpha) from Southeast Asia (Early Cretaceous of Thailand) . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 27 . 4 . 827–837 . 10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[827:tfsfhh]2.0.co;2 . 85325978 . 0272-4634.
  30. Book: M., Cuny, Gilles Guy Roger Suteethorn, V. Buffetaut, E. Philippe . Hybodont sharks from the Mesozoic Khorat Group of Thailand. . 2003 . 842608080.
  31. Khansubha . Sasa-On . A Sclerorhynchoid (Chondrichthyes: Batomorphii) in the Lower Cretaceous of Thailand? .
  32. Book: Tumpeesuwan . Sakboworn . A New Species of Pseudohyria (Matsumotoina) (Bivalvia: Trigonioidoidea) from the Early Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation, Khorat Group, Northeastern Thailand . Sato . Yoshio . Nakhapadungrat . Somchai . 2010.

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