| Upper Maleri Formation | |
| Type: | Geological formation |
| Age: | Norian ~ |
| Period: | Norian |
| Region: | Telangana |
| Coordinates: | 19.3°N 79.5°W |
| Paleocoordinates: | -33.1°N 36.4°W |
| Unitof: | Gondwana Group |
| Underlies: | Lower Dharmaram Formation |
| Overlies: | Lower Maleri Formation |
| Extent: | Pranhita–Godavari Basin |
The Upper Maleri Formation is a sedimentary rock formation found in Telangana, India. It is one of the formations of the Pranhita–Godavari Basin. It is of late Norian and possibly earliest Rhaetian ages (Late Triassic), and is notable for its fossils of early dinosaurs.
An unnamed guaibasaurid was present in the formation based on associated vertebrae, hip, and hindlimb material, specimens ISI R277. Two more indeterminate dinosauriform species are also known from the formation, based on specimens ISI R282 (a hip and three vertebrae) and ISI R284 (a right ilium similar to that of Nambalia roychowdhurii). Material from the formation has also been referred to Herrerasauridae.[1]
| Dinosauriforms from the Upper Maleri Formation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Material | Notes | Images |
| Jaklapallisaurus | J. assymetrica | Telangana | ISI R274, postcranial material | An unaysaurid sauropodomorph, also found in the Lower Dharmaram Formation | |
| Nambalia | N. roychowdhurii | Telangana | ISI R273, including partial postcrania of at least three individuals of different sizes found closely associated | A basal sauropodomorph | |
Phytosaur fossils are known from the formation, including forms similar to Angistorhinus and Leptosuchus.[2] Indeterminate aetosaurs and dicynodonts have also been reported.
| Temnospondyls from the Upper Maleri Formation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Notes | Images | ||
| Compsocerops[3] | C. cosgriffi | A chigutisaurid also found in the Santa Maria Formation[4] | |||
| Kuttycephalus | K. triangularis | A chigutisaurid | |||
The formation has been correlated with the Forest Sandstone of Africa, the lower Caturrita Formation of the Paraná Basin in Brazil, the upper Ischigualasto Formation and lower Los Colorados Formation of the Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin of Argentina, and the Chinle Formation of North America.