Tangbian Formation
Late Cretaceous geological formation in China
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The Tangbian Formation is a geological formation in Jiangxi Province, east China. While its absolute age is uncertain, it has been estimated to represent Late Cretaceous (Campanian age) sediments. Dinosaur bones and eggs are among the fossils recovered from the formation.
| Tangbian Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Late Cretaceous, | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Guifeng Group |
| Underlies | Lianhe Formation |
| Overlies | Hekou Formation |
| Thickness | 240–3,060 m (790–10,040 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | purplish red sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 26°9′N 116°4′E |
| Region | Jiangxi Province |
| Country | China |
  Tangbian Formation (China)  Tangbian Formation (Jiangxi) | |
Geology and paleoenvironment
The Tangbian Formation is known from outcrops in the Xinjiang Basin of Jiangxi Province, southeastern China. It is part of the Late Cretaceous Guifeng Group, underlain by the Hekou Formation and overlain by the Lianhe Formation in that group. The formation is interpreted as Campanian in age, although absolute dates have not been obtained.[1][2] It comprises thick beds of fine-grained red-purple sandstone interbedded with mudstone, calcareous sandstone, and siltstone, and was deposited in an aeolian (wind-driven) setting representing a desert environment.[3][4][5]
Fossil content
The Tangbian Formation contains a rich record of dinosaur egg fossils and embryos. Most of the known egg clutches can be associated with oviraptorosaurs, although rarer egg fossils are known from hadrosaurs, troodontids, and possibly dromaeosaurids.[6][7]
Color key
|
Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
| Genus | Species | Region | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caninosaurus[8] | C. ganzhouensis | Incomplete skull and mandible | A polyglyphanodont lizard with caniniform upper teeth | ||
|
H. shouwen |
Longxi Village, Guangchang County |
Partial well-preserved skeleton |
| ||
|
Minioolithus[6] |
M. ganzhouensis |
Meilin Village, Ganxian District |
Clutch of six eggs |
Classified as belonging to the Ovaloolithidae, likely laid by a theropod dinosaur |
|
|
S. pinglingensis |
Eggshell fragments |
