Forest Sandstone Formation

Forest Sandstone Formation
Type Geological formation

The Forest Sandstone Formation is a geological formation dating to roughly between 200 to 190 million years ago and covering the Hettangian to Sinemurian stages.[1] The Forest Sandstone Formation is found in Zimbabwe and is a member of the Karoo Supergroup. As its name suggests, it consists mainly of sandstone. Fossils of the prosauropod dinosaur Massospondylus have been recovered from the Forest Sandstone.

Contents

Geology

The formation is a sedimentary unit, consisting mainly of aeolian sands and silts with interbedded fluvial sediments,[2] laid down during a period of increasing aridity.[3]

Vertebrate fauna

Protosuchia

Protosuchia of the Forest Sandstone Formation
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Genus:

  • unknown protosuchid crocodile[4]
  1. Geographically located in Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe.

Sphenodontia

Sphenodontia of the Forest Sandstone Formation
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Genus:
  1. Unspecified, Zimbabwe.

Sauropodomorphs

Sauropodomorphs of the Forest Sandstone Formation
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Genus:

  1. M. carinatus[5]
  1. Geographically located in Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe.[5]

Infraorder:

  1. Indeterminate remains.[5]
  1. Geographically located in Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe.[5]

Theropoda

Theropods of the Forest Sandstone Formation
Taxa Presence Notes Images

Genus:

  1. M. rhodesiensis[5]
  1. Geographically located in Nyamandhlovu area, Tsholotsho District, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe.[5]
  1. Note: Referred to as Syntarsus by Weishampel et al.[5]

Hydrogeology

The Forest Sandstone is the major groundwater-bearing unit of the Upper Karoo Group.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Forest Sandstone Formation". Paleobiology Database. http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=displayStrata&group_hint=Karroo&group_formation_member=Forest%20Sandstone. Retrieved 2010-01-03. 
  2. ^ Danielsen, Jens E.; Dahlin, Torleif; Owen, Richard; Mangeya, Pride; Auken, Esben (2007). "Geophysical and hydrogeologic investigation of groundwater in the Karoo stratigraphic sequence at Sawmills in northern Matabeleland, Zimbabwe: a case history". Hydrogeology Journal 15 (5): 945. doi:10.1007/s10040-007-0191-z. 
  3. ^ Maurice E. Tucker; Michael J. Benton (1982). "Triassic environments, climate and reptile evolution". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 40 (4): 361–379. doi:10.1016/0031-0182(82)90034-7. http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/benton/reprints/1982triassic.pdf. 
  4. ^ a b Paul E. Olsen; Peter M. Galton (1984). "A review of the reptile and amphibian assemblages from the Stromberg of southern Africa, with special emphasis on the footprints and age of the Stromberg". Palaeont. Afr. 25: 87–110. http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/users/polsen/nbcp/olsen_galton_84_sm.pdf. 
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Early Jurassic, Africa)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 535–536. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
  6. ^ Larsen, Flemming; R. Owen, T. Dahlin, P. Mangeya, G. Barmen. "A preliminary analysis of the groundwater recharge to the Karoo formations, mid-Zambezi basin, Zimbabwe" (pdf). Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 27: 765–772. http://lthtg.tg.lth.se/~tda/docs/PCE2002.pdf.