Elliot Formation
| Elliot Formation Stratigraphic range: Upper Triassic Lower Jurassic | |
|---|---|
| Type | Geological formation |
The Elliot Formation is a geological formation dating to roughly 210 to 190 million years ago and covering the Norian to Sinemurian stages. The Elliot Formation is found in South Africa and Lesotho and is a member of the Stormberg Group. It consists mainly of limestone, sandstone, and mudstone. Fossils of the prosauropod dinosaur Massospondylus have been recovered from the upper Elliot Formation.
Vertebrate fauna
| Stratigraphy of the Karoo Supergroup in the Karoo Basin | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | Group | Formation west of 24°E | Formation east of 24°E | Assemblage Zone |
| Jurassic | Drakensberg | Hiatus | Drakensberg | |
| Stormberg | Clarens | |||
| Triassic | Elliot | |||
| Molteno | ||||
| Beaufort | ||||
| Burgersdorp | Cynognathus | |||
| Katberg | Lystrosaurus | |||
| Balfour | ||||
| Permian | Dicynodon | |||
| Teekloof | ||||
| Cistecephalus | ||||
| Middleton | ||||
| Tropidostoma | ||||
| Pristerognathus | ||||
| Abrahams-Kraal | Koonap | |||
| Tapinocephalus | ||||
| Eodicynodon | ||||
| Ecca | Waterford | Waterford | ||
| Tierberg / Fort Brown | Fort Brown | |||
| Laingsburg / Ripon | Ripon | |||
| Collingham | Collingham | |||
| White Hill | White Hill | |||
| Prince Albert | Prince Albert | |||
| Carboniferous | Dwyka | Elandsvlei | Elandsvlei | |
Unidentified dinosaur eggs have been recovered from the formation.[4]
†Ornithischia
An unnamed ornithischian genus has been reported from the Upper Elliot Formation.[4] Geographically it was located in the Mafeteng district, Lesotho.[4] Ornithischian tracks have been reported from the Upper Elliot Formation.[4] Geographically they were located in Leribe District,[3] Mafeteng district, and Mohales Hoek District, Lesotho.[4] Possible indeterminate ornithischian remains have been reported from the Lower and Upper Elliot Formation of Cape Province, South Africa[3] and the Mohales Hoek District, Lesotho.[4]
Color key
|
Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
| Ornithischian dinosaurs of the Elliot Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
|
A. consors[4] |
|
|
"[Two] skulls, [one] associated with fragmentary skeleton; material consisting of either male and female or adult and juvenile."[5] |
The Qacha's Nek District remains were once considered Lycorhinus consors.[4] |
| |
|
F. australis[4] |
|
|
"Fragmentary dentary with teeth."[6] |
Its remains are now considered indeterminate ornithischian.[4] | ||
|
H. tucki[4] |
|
|
||||
|
Indeterminate[4] |
|
|
||||
|
Lanasaurus |
L. scalpridens |
|
|
Now regarded as a junior synonym of Lycorhinus. | ||
|
L. diagnosticus[3] |
|
|
"At least [four] skulls and associated skeletal material."[6] |
|||
|
L. angustidens[4] |
|
|
"Isolated dentary maxillae."[5] |
|||
|
L. consors[4] |
|
|
Split off as the type species of the new genus Abrictosaurus. | |||
|
P. africana[7] |
|
|
||||
†Sauropodomorpha
Prosauropod tracks have been found in the Lower and Upper Elliot Formation.[3][4] Geographically, these finds have been located in Leribe District, Mafeteng District, Mohales Hoek district, Quthing District,[4] and Maseru District, Lesotho.[3] Possible prosauropod tracks have been located in the Lower Elliot Formation. Geographically these were located in Cape Province, South Africa.[3]
Color key
|
Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
| Sauropodomorph dinosaurs of the Elliot Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
|
A. celestae |
|
|
 Melanorosaurus readi | |||
|
Aetonyx |
A. palustris |
|
|
"Cervicals, caudals, partial fore- and hindlimb."[8] |
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[4] | |
|
A. ingenipes[3] |
|
|
||||
|
B. cromptoni[3] |
|
|
"Associated left tibia, fibula, tarsus, [and] pes."[9] |
|||
|
Dromicosaurus |
D. gracilis |
|
|
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[4] | ||
|
E. fortis |
|
|
"Fragmentary skeleton."[8] |
|||
|
E. africanus |
|
|
"Vertebrae, ischia, incomplete ilia, tibiae and femora."[8] |
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[3] | ||
|
E. browni[3] |
|
|
||||
|
Indeterminate[3] |
|
|
||||
|
G. africanus |
|
|
"Vertebrae, both manus, pelvis and hindlimbs."[8] |
A valid sauropodomorph genus and species.[10] | ||
|
G. taylori |
|
|
"Sacrals, pelvic girdle."[8] |
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[4] | ||
|
Indeterminate[4] |
|
|
||||
|
Hortalotarsus |
H. skirtopodus |
|
|
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[4] | ||
|
I. rachelis[11] |
|
|
||||
|
Leptospondylus |
L. capensis |
|
|
"Caudals."[8] |
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[4] | |
|
M. browni |
|
|
"Cervicals, dorsal, caudals, pedal elements."[8] |
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[4] | ||
|
M. carinatus[4] |
|
|
| |||
|
M. harriesi |
|
|
"Forelimb."[8] |
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[4] | ||
|
M. schwarzi |
|
|
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[4] | |||
|
Indeterminate[4] |
|
|||||
|
M. readi[3] |
|
|
"[Three] partial skeletons, adult."[12] |
|||
|
M. thabanensis[4] |
|
|
"Femur, adult."[12] |
|||
|
Indeterminate[3] |
|
|
||||
|
Orinosaurus |
O. capensis |
|
|
"Proximal tibia."[8] |
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[3] | |
|
Pachyspondylus |
P. orpenii |
|
|
"Fragmentary vertebrae."[8] |
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[4] | |
|
|
|
"Partial skeleton."[8] |
||||
|
P. stormbergensis |
|
|
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[3] | |||
|
T. browni |
|
|
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[4] | |||
|
T. minor |
|
|
Elliot material formerly referred to this taxon was later concluded to be indeterminate prosauropod remains.[4] | |||
Theropoda
Theropod tracks are stratigraphically located in both the Lower and Upper Elliot Formation. Geographically, they are located in the Leribe District, Mafeteng District, Quthing District,[4] Maseru District and Mohales Hoek district,[3][4] Lesotho.[3]
Color key
|
Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
| Theropod dinosaurs of the Elliot Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
|
Aliwalia[3] |
A. rex[3] |
|
|
Partial femur and possible maxilla.[15] |
Now known to be a chimera of Eucnemesaurus and a theropod mandible. |
|
|
D. regenti[16] |
|
|
A dilophosaurid | |||
|
|
|
Former Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis. | ||||
|
Megapnosaurus[4] |
M. rhodesiensis[4] |
|
|
Note: Referred to as Syntarsus by Weishampel et al.[4] | ||
|
Syntarsus[4] |
S. rhodesiensis[4] |
|
|
|||
See also
- List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
Footnotes
- ↑ Rubidge, B.S. (2005). "Re-uniting lost continents – Fossil reptiles from the ancient Karoo and their wanderlust". South African Journal of Geology 108 (1): 135–172. doi:10.2113/108.1.135.
- ↑ Selden, P.; and Nudds, J. (2011). "Karoo". Evolution of Fossil Ecosystems (2 ed.). Manson Publishing. pp. 104–122. ISBN 9781840761603.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 3.35 3.36 3.37 3.38 3.39 3.40 3.41 3.42 3.43 3.44 3.45 3.46 3.47 3.48 3.49 3.50 3.51 3.52 3.53 3.54 3.55 Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Triassic, Africa)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 528–529. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.30 4.31 4.32 4.33 4.34 4.35 4.36 4.37 4.38 4.39 4.40 4.41 4.42 4.43 4.44 4.45 4.46 4.47 4.48 4.49 4.50 4.51 4.52 4.53 4.54 4.55 4.56 4.57 4.58 4.59 4.60 4.61 4.62 4.63 4.64 4.65 4.66 4.67 4.68 4.69 4.70 4.71 4.72 4.73 4.74 4.75 4.76 4.77 4.78 4.79 4.80 4.81 4.82 4.83 4.84 4.85 4.86 4.87 4.88 4.89 4.90 4.91 4.92 4.93 4.94 4.95 4.96 4.97 4.98 4.99 4.100 4.101 4.102 4.103 4.104 4.105 4.106 4.107 4.108 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.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Table 18.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 394.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Table 14.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 326.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Sereno, Paul C. (2012). "Taxonomy, morphology, masticatory function and phylogeny of heterodontosaurid dinosaurs". ZooKeys 226: 1–225. doi:10.3897/zookeys.226.2840. PMC 3491919. PMID 23166462.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 8.10 "Table 12.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 236.
- ↑ "Table 13.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 261.
- ↑ C. C. Vasconcelos, A. M. Yates (2004). Sauropodomorph biodiversity of the upper Elliot Formation (Lower Jurassic) of southern Africa. Geoscience Africa, Abstract Volume 2:670.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Knoll, Fabien (2010). "A primitive sauropodomorph from the upper Elliot Formation of Lesotho". Geological Magazine 147 (6): 814–829. doi:10.1017/S001675681000018X.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Table 12.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 235.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Yates, A.M., and Kitching, J.W. (2003). The earliest known sauropod dinosaur and the first steps towards sauropod locomotion. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 270(1525):1753-1758.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Yates, A.M. (2006). Solving a dinosaurian puzzle: the identity of Aliwalia rex Galton. Historical Biology, iFirst article, 1-30.
- ↑ "Table 2.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 26.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 A. M. Yates. 2005. A new theropod dinosaur from the Early Jurassic of South Africa and its implications for the early evolution of theropods. Palaeontologia Africana 41:105-122