Qiupa Formation
Geological formation in Henan, China
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The Qiupa Formation (Chinese: 秋扒组; pinyin: Qiūpázǔ) 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 | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Maastrichtian ~ | |
Characteristic red brownish siltstones of the Qiupa Formation | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Tantou Group |
| Underlies | Gaoyugou Formation |
| Overlies | Shitaijie Formation |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Mudstone, siltstone |
| Other | Sandstone, conglomerate |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 33.9°N 111.8°E |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 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) | |
Geology
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]
Fossil content
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][5] Therizinosaurids Protoceratopsids, and medium sized sauropods are also known from the Qiupa Formation [5]
Color key
|
Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
Dinosaurs
Ornithischians
| Ornithischians of the Qiupa Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Image |
| Ankylosauridae indet.[6] | Indeterminate | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | A tooth, a well-preserved dorsal vertebra, an incomplete dorsal rib, and an ischium. | A ankylosaurid ankylosaur | |
Theropods
| Theropods of the Qiupa Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Image |
| Luanchuanraptor[7] | L. henanensis | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | Teeth, a frontal, and fragmented postcrania. | A velociraptorine dromaeosaurid |  |
| Macroolithus[8] | M. yaotunensis | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | One partial clutch containing eight complete eggs and numerous fragments. | An elongatoolithid, most likely laid by Yulong mini. | |
| Qiupalong[9] | Q. henanensis | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | Partial skeleton preserving the pelvis and the right hindlimb. | A ornithomimid ornithomimosaur |  |
| Qiupanykus[3] | Q. zhangi | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | Partial skeleton with vertebrae and hindlimbs. | A parvicursorine alvarezsaurid | |
| "Tyrannosaurus"[10] | T. luanchuanensis | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | Five teeth. | A tyrannosaurine tyrannosaurid; junior synonymous with Tarbosaurus bataar. | |
| Yulong[11][12] | Y. mini | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | Many juvenile specimens and one subadult skeleton. | A oviraptorid oviraptorosaur |  |
| Yuornis[13] | Y. junchangi | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | Partial skeleton. | A enantiornithinean bird | |
Squamates
| Squamates of the Qiupa Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Image |
| Funiusaurus[14][15] | F. luanchuanensis | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | Several cranial and postcranial remains. | A polyglyphanodontian lizard | |
| Tianyusaurus[16] | T. zhengi | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | Skull and shoulder girdle. | A polyglyphanodontian lizard |  |
| Zhongyuanxi[17] | Z. jiai | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | Partial skull. | A paleoanguimorphan anguimorph | |
Mammals
| Mammals of the Qiupa Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Image |
| Lotheridium[18] | L. mengi | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | Nearly complete skull with jaws. | A deltatheroidan metatherian |  |
| Yubaatar[19] | Y. zhongyuanensis | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | "Virtually complete crania and fragmented poscrania". | A taeniolabidoid multituberculate |  |
Oofossils
| Oofossils of the Qiupa Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Image |
| Elongatoolithidae sp.[20] | Indeterminate | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | 145 egg shells | Oviraptorid eggs | |
| Macroolithus[21] | M. yaotunensis | Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China | Maastrichtian | Egg clutch | Oviraptorid eggs | |