Lower Dharmaram Formation
Geologic formation in India
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The Lower Dharmaram Formation is a sedimentary rock formation found in Telangana, India. It is one of the formations of the Pranhita–Godavari Basin. It is of latest Norian and Rhaetian ages (Upper Triassic), and is notable for its fossils of early dinosaurs.
| Lower Dharmaram Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Latest Norian–Rhaetian ~ | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Gondwana Group |
| Underlies | Upper Dharmaram Formation |
| Overlies | Upper Maleri Formation |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Sandstone, Mudstone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 19.2°N 79.6°E |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 32.3°S 36.1°E |
| Region | Telangana |
| Country | India |
| Extent | Pranhita–Godavari Basin |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Dharmaram |
  Lower Dharmaram Formation (India) | |
Vertebrate fauna
cf. Paratypothorax, cf. Nicrosaurus, fragmentary remains of sauropodomorphs (ISI R279, 280, 281) and neotheropods (ISI R283) have also been recovered from it.[1]
Color key
|
Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
Saurischians
| Saurischians reported from the Lower Dharmaram Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Jaklapallisaurus | J. assymetrica[1] | Telangana | "ISI R279, distal end of right femur."[1] | A unaysaurid, also found in the Upper Maleri Formation. | ||
| Sauropodomorpha | Indeterminate | Telangana | "ISIR 280, astragalus." | An Indeterminate Sauropodomorpha. | ||
| Neotheropoda | Indeterminate | Telangana | "ISIR 283, incomplete femur." | An Indeterminate Neotheropod. | ||
Pseudosuchians
| Pseudosuchians reported from the Lower Dharmaram Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Kuttysuchus | K. minor[2] | Telangana | A typothoracine aetosaur. | |||
| Venkatasuchus | V. armatus[3] | Telangana | A typothoracine aetosaur |  | ||
| cf. Paratypothorax | sp. | Telangana | A typothoracine aetosaur. | |||
| cf. Nicrosaurus | sp. | Telangana | A mystriosuchin parasuchid. | |||
| cf. Desmantosuchus[4] | sp. | Telangana | A typothoracine aetosaur. | |||
| Desmatosuchinae indet.[3][4] | Telangana | Indeterminate typothoracine aetosaurs. | ||||
Correlations
The formation has been correlated with the Lower Elliot Formation (Karoo Basin) and Forest Sandstone of Africa, the Caturrita Formation of the Paraná Basin in Brazil, the Laguna Colorada and Los Colorados Formations (Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin) of Argentina, the Chinle Formation of North America, the Trossingen Formation of the Keuper of Germany, and the Nam Phong Formation of Thailand.[5]
