The Qiupa Formation is a Late Cretaceous Maastrichtian geologic formation in Henan Province, central China. It is rich in dinosaur eggs and bones, such as those of carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs. The Qiupa Formation is considered to be Late Maastrichtian in age, about 72 million and 66 million years ago.[1][2][3]
Qiupa Formation | |
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Stratigraphic range: Maastrichtian ~ | |
Type | Geological formation |
Unit of | Tantou Group |
Underlies | Gaoyugou Formation |
Overlies | Shitaijie Formation |
Lithology | |
Primary | Mudstone, siltstone |
Other | Sandstone, conglomerate |
Location | |
Coordinates | 33°54′N 111°48′E / 33.9°N 111.8°E |
Approximate paleocoordinates | 31°36′N 102°48′E / 31.6°N 102.8°E |
Region | Henan Province |
Country | China |
Extent | Tantou Basin |
Type section | |
Named for | Qiupa |
Qiupa Formation (China) Qiupa Formation (Henan) |
The sedimentation is characterized for the presence of calcareous mudstone interbedded with thin fine conglomerates, brownish red thick-bedded siltstone and parallel and cross laminations. This sedimentation indicates habitats composed by large and shallow meanders with braided river deltas.[2][3]
The Qiupa Formation has yielded numerous dinosaur fossils, particularly eggs. The remains of various theropods such as troodontids, dromaeosaurids and oviraptorosaurs have been found. In addition, indeterminate remains of sauropods, ornithopods, ankylosaurs, lizards, turtles and a possible avian bone are reported.[4][2]
Dinosaurs of the Qiupa Formation | |||||
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Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images | |
Ankylosauridae indet. | Indeterminate | "A tooth, well-preserved dorsal vertebra, incomplete dorsal rib and ischium."[5] | An ankylosaurid | ||
Elongatoolithidae sp. | Indeterminate | "145 egg shells probably laid by oviraptorids."[6] | Oviraptorid eggs | ||
Luanchuanraptor | L. henanensis | "Teeth, a frontal and fragmented postcrania."[7] | A dromaeosaurid | ||
Qiupalong | Q. henanensis | "Ilia, ischia, pubes and the right hindlimb."[8] | An ornithomimid | ||
Qiupanykus | Q. zhangi | "Vertebrae and hindlimbs."[3] | An alvarezsaurid | ||
"Tyrannosaurus" | T. luanchuanensis | "Five well preserved teeth."[9] | A tyrannosaurid | ||
Yulong | Y. mini | "Complete crania and much of the postcrania."[10][11] | An oviraptorid |
Mammals of the Qiupa Formation | |||||
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Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images | |
Lotheridium | L. mengi | "Nearly complete skull with jaws."[12] | A deltatheridiid | ||
Yubaatar | Y. zhongyuanensis | "Virtually complete crania and fragmented poscrania."[13] | A cimolodont |
Squamates of the Qiupa Formation | |||||
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Genus | Species | Material | Notes | Images | |
Funiusaurus | F. luanchuanensis | "Partial skull."[14] | A polyglyphanodont | ||
Tianyusaurus | T. zhengi | "Crania and shoulder girdle."[15] | A polyglyphanodont |
Color key
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Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |