Dinosaur Park Formation

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Landscape of Dinosaur Park Formation
Landscape of Dinosaur Park Formation

The Dinosaur Park Formation is the uppermost member of the Judith River Group, a major geologic unit in southern Alberta. It was laid down roughly 75 million years ago. The formation is made up of deposits of a high-sinuosity (anastomosing) fluvial system, and is capped by the Lethbridge Coal Beds. The formation is bounded by the Oldman Formation below it and the marine Bearpaw Formation above it (Eberth, 2005).

It is best known for the dense concentrations of dinosaur skeletons, both articulated and disarticulated, that are found there. However, other animals such as fish, turtles, crocodilians are also abundant in the formation. The formation has been named after Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Contents

[edit] Stratigraphic Division of Ornithischians? (Ryan and Evans, 2005)

Centrosaurus, Chasmosaurus russelli, Gryposaurus, and Corythosaurus are most common at the base of the formation, to about the middle. Styracosaurus, Chasmosaurus belli, Prosaurolophus, and Lambeosaurus lambei are most common from the middle to near the top. A new group may be present at the top, as the inland sea transgresses onto land, but there are less remains here. An unnamed pachyrhinosaur, Chasmosaurus irvinensis, and Lambeosaurus magnicristatus may be more common here.

[edit] Flora and Fauna

Numerous types of plants and animals are known from the formation (taxonomy mostly after the relevant chapters of Currie and Koppelhus, 2005):

[edit] Palynomorphs (organic-walled microfossils, like spores, pollen, and algae) (Braman and Koppelhus, 2005)

Unknown producers

  • at least 8 species

Fungi

Chlorophyta (green algae and blue-green algae)

Pyrrhophyta (dinoflagellates, a type of marine algae)

Bryophyta (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts)

Anthocerotae (hornworts)
  • at least 5 species
Hepaticae (liverworts)
  • at least 14 species
Musci (mosses)
  • at least 5 species

Lycopodiophyta

Lycopodiaceae (club mosses)
  • at least 11 species
Selaginellaceae (small club mosses)
  • at least 6 species
Isoetaceae (quillworts)
  • at least 1 species

Polypodiophyta

Osmundaceae (cinnamon ferns)
  • at least 6 species
Schizaeaceae (climbing ferns)
  • at least 20 species
Gleicheniaceae (Gleichenia and allies; coral ferns)
  • at least 5 species
Cyatheaceae (Cyathea and allies)
  • at least 4 species
Dicksoniaceae (Dicksonia and allies)
  • at least 3 species
Polypodiaceae (ferns)
  • at least 4 species
Matoniaceae
  • at least 1 species
Marsileaceae
  • at least 1 species

Pinophyta (gymnosperms)

Cycadaceae (cycads)
  • at least 3 species
Caytoniaceae
  • at least 1 species
Pinaceae (pines)
  • at least 4 species
Cupressaceae (cypresses)
  • at least 3 species
Podocarpaceae (Podocarpus and allies)
  • at least 4 species
Cheirolepidiaceae
  • at least 2 species
Ephedraceae (Mormon teas)
  • at least 6 species

Unknown gymnosperms: at least 3 species

Magnoliophyta (angiosperms)

Magnoliopsida (dicots)
Buxaceae (boxwood)
  • at least 1 species
Gunneraceae (gunneras)
  • at least 1 species
Salicaceae (willows, cottonwood, quaking aspen)
  • at least 1 species
Droseraceae (sundews)
  • at least 1 species
Olacaceae (tallowwood)
  • at least 2 species
Loranthaceae (showy mistletoes)
  • at least 1 species
Sapindaceae (soapberry)
  • at least 1 species
Aceraceae (maples)
  • at least 1 species
Proteaceae (proteas)
  • at least 9 species
Compositae (sunflowers)
  • at least 1 species
Fagaceae (beeches, oaks, chestnuts)
  • at least 2 species
Betulaceae (birches, alders)
  • at least 1 species
Ulmaceae (elms)
  • at least 1 species
Chenopodiaceae (goosefoots)
  • at least 1 species
Liliopsida (monocots)
Liliaceae (lilies)
  • at least 6 species
Cyperaceae (sedges and reeds)
  • at least 1 species
Sparganiaceae (bur-reeds)
  • possibly 1 species
Unknown angiosperms: at least 88 species

[edit] Plant body fossils (Koppelhus, 2005)

Gymnosperms

Ginkgos

  • Baeria
  • Ginkgoites

Angiosperms

[edit] Mollusks (Johnston and Hendy, 2005)

Freshwater bivalves

  • Fusconaia
  • Lampsilis
  • Sphaerium (2 species)

Freshwater gastropods

  • Campeloma (2 species)
  • Elimia
  • Goniobasis (3 species)
  • Hydrobia
  • Lioplacodes (2 species)

[edit] Fish

Chondrichthyans (Neuman and Brinkman, 2005)

Acipenseriformes (sturgeons) (Neuman and Brinkman, 2005)

  • unnamed sturgeon
  • unnamed paddlefish

Holostean fish (Neuman and Brinkman, 2005)

Teleost fish (Neuman and Brinkman, 2005)

  • Patatarpon (an elopomorph, like the tarpon)
  • Cretophareodus (an osteoglossomorph)
  • Coriops
  • Estesesox
  • Oldmanesox
  • Paralbula (including Phyllodus)
  • at least 8 other teleosts

[edit] Amphibians (Gardner, 2005)

Albanerpetonidae (extinct, salamander-like amphibians)

  • Albanerpeton

Caudata (salamanders)

  • Habrosaurus
  • Lisserpeton
  • Opisthotriton
  • Scapherpeton
  • unnamed caudatan
  • 2 indeterminate caudatans

Salienta (frogs)

  • 2 unnamed salientans

[edit] Turtles (Brinkman, 2005)

  • Adocus
  • "Apalone"
  • Aspideretoides (3 species)
  • Basilemys
  • Boremys
  • Judithemys
  • Neurankylus
  • Plesiobaena
  • 2 indeterminate taxa

[edit] Choristoderes (champsosaurs) (Keqin Gao and Brinkman, 2005)

[edit] Lizards (Caldwell, 2005)

Helodermatids

  • Labrodioctes

Necrosaurids

  • Parasaniwa

Teiids

  • Glyptogenys
  • Socognathus

Varanids

Xenosaurids

  • ?Exostinus

[edit] Plesiosaurs (Sato, Eberth, Nicholls, and Manabe, 2005)

[edit] Crocodylians (Xiao-Chun Wu, 2005)

  • Albertochampsa
  • Leidysuchus
  • at least 1 unnamed taxon

[edit] Pterosaurs (Godfrey and Currie, 2005)

  • 1 large unnamed azhdarchid (giant, long-necked pterosaur)
  • 1 smaller unnamed azdarchid
  • 1 unnamed non-azdarchid pterosaur

[edit] Dinosaurs

Theropoda (Currie, 2005)

Tyrannosauridae
Ornithomimidae
Caenagnathidae (all of these may be species of Chirostenotes)
Avimimidae
  • ?indeterminate avimimid
Therizinosauridae
  • ?indeterminate therizinosaurid
Troodontidae
Dromaeosauridae
Family unknown
Birds
  • Baptornis sp.
  • Cimolopteryx sp.
  • Palintropus sp.
  • additional indeterminate bird taxa

Ornithischia (Ryan and Evans, 2005)

Ankylosauria
Ankylosauridae
Nodosauridae
Pachycephalosauridae
Ceratopsia
Ceratopsidae
Centrosaurinae (long nose horn, short brow horns, short spiky frill)
Chasmosaurinae (short nose horn, long brow horns, long frill)
Ornithopoda
Hadrosauridae
Hadrosaurinae (duckbills without hollow crests)
Lambeosaurinae (duckbills with hollow crests)

[edit] Mammals (Fox, 2005)

Multituberculata

Marsupials

Placentals

  • Cimolestes sp. (uncertain taxonomy)
  • Gypsonictops lewisi
  • Paranyctoides sternbergi

Unknown therians: at least 1 species

[edit] References

  • Braman, D.R., and Koppelhus, E.B. 2005. Campanian palynomorphs. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 101-130.
  • Brinkman, D.B. 2005. Turtles: diversity, paleoecology, and distribution. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 202-220.
  • Caldwell, M.W. The squamates: origins, phylogeny, and paleoecology. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds). 2005. ‘’Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed.’’ Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 235-248.
  • Currie, P.J. 2005. Theropods, including birds. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 367-397.
  • Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds). 2005. Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 648 p.
  • Eberth, D.A. 2005. The geology. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 54-82.
  • Fox, R.C. 2005. Late Cretaceous mammals. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 417-435.
  • K. Gao and Brinkman, D.B. 2005. Choristoderes from the Park and its vicinity. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 221-234.
  • Gardner, J.D. 2005. Lissamphibians. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 186-201.
  • Godfrey, S.J., and Currie, P.J. 2005. Pterosaurs. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 292-311.
  • Johnston, P.A., and Hendy, A.J.W. 2005. Paleoecology of mollusks from the Upper Cretaceous Belly River Group. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 139-166.
  • Koppelhus, E.B. 2005. Paleobotany. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 131-138.
  • Neuman, A.G., and Brinkman, D.B. 2005. Fishes of the fluvial beds. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 167-185.
  • Ryan, M.J., and Evans, D.C. 2005. Ornithischian dinosaurs. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 312-348.
  • Sato, T., Eberth, D.A., Nicholls, E.L., and Manabe, M. 2005. Plesiosaurian remains from non-marine to paralic sediments. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed.’’ Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 249-276.
  • Xiao-Chun Wu. 2005. Crocodylians. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 277-291.
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