Melovatka Formation
Geologic formation in Russia
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The Melovatka or Melovatsskaya Formation is a Cenomanian geologic formation in Russia. Pterosaur fossils have been recovered from the formation.
| Melovatka Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Middle Cenomanian ~ | |
 The Melovatka Formation in 1941 | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Phosphorite |
| Other | Sandstone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 50.9°N 44.7°E |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 43.1°N 38.8°E |
| Region | Volgograd Oblast |
| Country | Russia |
| Extent | Saratov |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Melovatka |
  Melovatka Formation (Russia)  Melovatka Formation (Volgograd Oblast) | |
Description
The two phosphorite horizons are separated in places by a yellowish sand interbed up to 1 m thick; however, they sometimes merge into a single horizon. The lower interbed or part of the integrated phosphorite horizon shows in places straight diagonal bedding, which is manifested in the orientation of almost flat pellets, pebbles, and pseudomorphs on bivalve shells. The phosphate concretions are irregular aggregates and rounded pebbles, ranging in size from several millimeters to 5–10 cm. They are dark brown or nearly black.[1]
Fossil content
The following vertebrate fossils were reported from the formation:[1][2]
Fish
Color key
|
Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
Chondrichthyes
Sharks
| Sharks reported from the Melovatka Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxon | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Archaeolamna | A. cf. kopingensis | |||||
| Anomotodon | A. principalis | |||||
| Cretolamna | C. appendiculata | |||||
| C. ex gr. borealis | ||||||
| Cretoxyrhina | C. denticulata | |||||
| C. vraconensis[3] | ||||||
| Cantioscyllium | C. cf. decipiens | |||||
| Carcharias | C? sp. | Possible may be teeth of representatives of Odontaspididae | ||||
| Cretodus | C. sp.[4] | The material found by Pervush's team in 1999 is considered erroneous by some sources. | ||||
| Dwardius | D. woodwardi | |||||
| Eostriatolamia | E. subulata | |||||
| Galeorhinus | G. glickmani | |||||
| Hybodontiformes | indeterminate | |||||
| Johnlongia | J. allocotodon | |||||
| "Megarhizodon" | "M. cf. macrorhiza" | At present, the genus Megarhizodon is a subjective synonym for Leptostyrax. | ||||
| Meristodonoides | M. sp.[5] | |||||
| Paraorthacodus | P. recurvus | |||||
| "Pseudoisurus" | "P. denticulatus" | Possible relative of Dwardius | ||||
| Pseudomegachasma | P. casei | |||||
| Pseudoscapanorhynchus | P. cf. compressidens | |||||
| Protolamna | P. sokolovi | |||||
| Ptychodus | P. decurrens | |||||
| P. mammillaris | ||||||
| Polyacrodus | P. sp. | |||||
| Scapanorhynchus | S. raphiodon[6] | |||||
| S. minimus | ||||||
| Squalicorax | S. falcatus | |||||
| S. curvatus | ||||||
| Squatina | S. sp. | |||||
| Synechodus | S. dispar | |||||
| Odontaspis | O. sp. | |||||
| Orectoloboides | O. parvulus[7] | |||||
| Palaeoanacorax | P. obliquus | |||||
| P. volgensis | Not considered a valid taxon by some scientists | |||||
Other cartilaginous fish
| Other cartilaginous fishs reported from the Melovatka Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxon | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Chimaeridae | Indeterminate | |||||
| Elasmodectes | E. kiprijanoffi | |||||
| Edaphodon | E. sedgwicki | |||||
| Elasmodus | E. sinzovi | |||||
| Ischyodus | I. latus | |||||
Bony fish
| Osteichthyans reported from the Melovatka Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxon | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Enchodontidae | Indeterminate | |||||
| Osteichthyes | indeterminate | |||||
Dinosaurs
| Dinosaurs reported from the Melovatka Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxon | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Cerebavis | C. cenomanica[8] | An ornithuran | ||||
| Ichthyornithidae | Indeterminate [9][10] | |||||
Pterosaurs
| Pterosaurs reported from the Melovatka Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxon | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Lonchodectes | L. sp.[11][12] | |||||
| Saratovia | S. glickmani[13] | |||||
| Ornithocheiroidea | Indeterminate [11] | |||||
| Targaryendraconia | indet.[14] | |||||
Plesiosaurs
| Plesiosaurs reported from the Melovatka Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxon | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Elasmosauridae | indeterminate[15] | |||||
| Plesiosauria | indeterminate | |||||
| Pliosauridae | indeterminate | |||||
Icthyosaurs
| Icthyosaurs reported from the Melovatka Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxon | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Pervushovisaurus | P. campylodon | A partial skull | A platypterygiine ichthyosaur, previously named Platypterygius kiprianoffi[16] | |||
| Platypterygius | ?P. sp. | |||||
Turtles
| Turtles reported from the Melovatka Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxon | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Chelonioidea | indeterminate | |||||