Dinosaur Park Formation 4371704 220855604 2008-06-21T23:00:27Z Dhaluza 2789752 Add infobox {{Infobox Rockunit | name = Dinosaur Park Formation | image = Dinosaur_Park_Fm.jpg | caption = Dinosaur Park Formation exposed along the Red Deer River, Dinosaur Provincial Park, in southern Alberta. | type = [[Geological formation]] | prilithology = [[Sandstone]] (lower)<br>[[Siltstone]] (upper) | otherlithology = | namedfor = [[Dinosaur Provincial Park]] | namedby = | region = [[Alberta]] | country = [[Canada]] | coordinates = | unitof = [[Judith River Group]] | subunits = | thickness = | extent = | area = | age = 76.5 to 75 Ma}} The '''Dinosaur Park Formation''' is the uppermost member of the [[Judith River Group]], a major geologic unit in southern [[Alberta]]. It was laid down over a period of time between about 76.5 and 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 (ocean)|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]], [[turtle]]s, and [[crocodilia]]ns are also abundant in the formation. The formation has been named after [[Dinosaur Provincial Park]], a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]. ==Stratigraphic division of ornithischians? (Ryan and Evans, 2005)== ''[[Centrosaurus]]'', ''[[Chasmosaurus|Chasmosaurus russelli]]'', ''[[Gryposaurus]]'', and ''[[Corythosaurus]]'' are most common at the base of the formation, to about the middle. ''[[Styracosaurus]]'', ''Chasmosaurus belli'', ''[[Prosaurolophus]]'', and ''[[Lambeosaurus|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 fewer remains here. An unnamed [[Pachyrhinosaurus|pachyrhinosaur]], ''Chasmosaurus irvinensis'', and ''Lambeosaurus magnicristatus'' may be more common here. ==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): ===Palynomorphs=== [[Palynomorph]]s are organic-walled [[microfossil]]s, like [[spore]]s, [[pollen]], and [[algae]] (Braman and Koppelhus, 2005) Unknown producers *at least 8 species [[Fungi]] *at least 35 [[taxon|taxa]] [[Chlorophyta]] ([[green|green algae]] and [[blue-green algae]]) *at least 12 [[species]] [[Pyrrhophyta]] ([[dinoflagellates]], a type of marine [[algae]]) *unassigned [[cyst]]s [[Bryophyte]]s ([[moss]]es, [[liverwort]]s, and [[hornwort]]s) :[[Anthocerotophyta]] (hornworts) :*at least 5 species :[[Marchantiophyta]] (liverworts) :*at least 14 species :[[Moss|Bryophyta]] (mosses) :* at least 5 species [[Lycopodiophyta]] :[[Lycopodiaceae]] ([[club moss]]es) :*at least 11 species :[[Selaginellaceae]] (small club mosses) :*at least 6 species :[[Isoetaceae]] ([[Isoëtes|quillwort]]s) :*at least 1 species [[Polypodiophyta]] :[[Osmundaceae]] ([[cinnamon fern]]s) :*at least 6 species :[[Schizaeaceae]] ([[climbing fern]]s) :*at least 20 species :[[Gleicheniaceae]] (''[[Gleichenia]]'' and allies; [[coral fern]]s) :*at least 5 species :[[Cyatheaceae]] (''[[Cyathea]]'' and allies) :*at least 4 species :[[Dicksoniaceae]] (''[[Dicksonia]]'' and allies) :*at least 3 species :[[Polypodiaceae]] ([[fern]]s) :*at least 4 species :[[Matoniaceae]] :*at least 1 species :[[Marsileaceae]] :*at least 1 species [[Pinophyta]] ([[gymnosperm]]s) :[[Cycadaceae]] ([[cycad]]s) :*at least 3 species :[[Caytoniaceae]] :*at least 1 species :[[Pinaceae]] ([[pine]]s) :*at least 4 species :[[Cupressaceae]] ([[cypress]]es) :*at least 3 species :[[Podocarpaceae]] (''[[Podocarpus]]'' and allies) :*at least 4 species :[[Cheirolepidiaceae]] :*at least 2 species :[[Ephedraceae]] ([[Ephedra (genus)|Mormon teas]]) :*at least 6 species Unknown gymnosperms: at least 3 species [[Magnoliophyta]] ([[angiosperms]]) :[[Magnoliopsida]] ([[dicot]]s) ::[[Buxaceae]] ([[boxwood]]) ::*at least 1 species ::[[Gunneraceae]] ([[gunnera]]s) ::*at least 1 species ::[[Salicaceae]] ([[willow]]s, [[cottonwood]], [[quaking aspen]]) ::*at least 1 species ::[[Droseraceae]] ([[sundew]]s) ::*at least 1 species ::[[Olacaceae]] ([[tallowwood]]) ::*at least 2 species ::[[Loranthaceae]] ([[mistletoe|showy mistletoes]]) ::*at least 1 species ::[[Sapindaceae]] ([[soapberry]]) ::*at least 1 species ::[[Aceraceae]] ([[maple]]s) ::*at least 1 species ::[[Proteaceae]] ([[protea]]s) ::*at least 9 species ::[[Compositae]] ([[sunflowers]]) ::*at least 1 species ::[[Fagaceae]] ([[beech]]es, [[oak]]s, [[chestnut]]s) ::*at least 2 species ::[[Betulaceae]] ([[birch]]es, [[alder]]s) ::*at least 1 species ::[[Ulmaceae]] ([[elm]]s) ::*at least 1 species ::[[Chenopodiaceae]] ([[goosefoot]]s) ::*at least 1 species :[[Liliopsida]] ([[monocot]]s) ::[[Liliaceae]] ([[lily|lilies]]) ::*at least 6 species ::[[Cyperaceae]] (sedges) ::*at least 1 species ::[[Sparganiaceae]] ([[bur-reed]]s) ::*possibly 1 species :Unknown angiosperms: at least 88 species ===Plant body fossils (Koppelhus, 2005)=== *various ferns *''[[Equisetum]]'' ([[Equisetaceae]]) [[Gymnosperm]]s *''[[Platyspiroxylon]]'' ([[Cupressaceae]]) *''[[Podocarpoxylon]]'' ([[Podocarpaceae]]) *''[[Elatocladus]]'' ([[Taxodiaceae]]) *''[[Sequoia]]'' (Taxodiaceae) *''[[Sequoiaxylon]]'' (Taxodiaceae) *''[[Taxodioxylon]]'' (Taxodiaceae) [[Ginkgo]]s *''[[Baeria]]'' *''[[Ginkgoites]]'' [[Angiosperm]]s *''[[Artocarpus]]'' ([[Moraceae]]) *''[[Cercidiphyllum]]'' ([[Cercidiphyllaceae]]) *''[[Dombeyopsis]]'' ([[Sterculiaceae]]) *''[[Menispermites]]'' ([[Menispermaceae]]) *''[[Pistia]]'' ([[Araceae]]) *''[[Platanus]]'' ([[Platanaceae]]) *''[[Vitis]]'' ([[Vitaceae]]) *''[[Trapa]]'' ([[Trapaceae]]) ===Mollusks (Johnston and Hendy, 2005)=== [[Freshwater]] [[bivalve]]s *''Fusconaia'' *''Lampsilis'' *''Sphaerium'' (2 species) Freshwater [[gastropod]]s *''Campeloma'' (2 species) *''Elimia'' *''Goniobasis'' (3 species) *''Hydrobia'' *''Lioplacodes'' (2 species) ===Fish=== [[Chondrichthyes|Chondrichthyans]] (Neuman and Brinkman, 2005) *''[[Hybodus]]'' (a [[shark]]) *''[[Myledaphus]]'' (a [[Batoidea|ray]]) *indeterminate [[Orectolobidae|orectolobid]] [[Acipenseriformes]] ([[sturgeons]]) (Neuman and Brinkman, 2005) *unnamed sturgeon *unnamed paddlefish [[Holostean]] fish (Neuman and Brinkman, 2005) *''[[Belonostomus]]'' *''[[Lepisosteus]]'' (the [[gar]]) *unnamed [[bowfin]] *at least 2 other holosteans [[Teleost]] fish (Neuman and Brinkman, 2005) *''[[Patatarpon]]'' (an [[Elopomorpha|elopomorph]], like the [[tarpon]]) *''[[Cretophareodus]]'' (an [[Osteoglossomorpha|osteoglossomorph]]) *''[[Coriops]]'' *''[[Estesesox]]'' *''[[Oldmanesox]]'' *''[[Paralbula]]'' (including ''Phyllodus'') *at least 8 other teleosts ===Amphibians (Gardner, 2005)=== [[Albanerpetonidae]] (extinct, [[salamander]]-like amphibians) *''[[Albanerpeton]]'' [[Caudata]] ([[salamander]]s) *''[[Habrosaurus]]'' *''[[Lisserpeton]]'' *''[[Opisthotriton]]'' *''[[Scapherpeton]]'' *unnamed caudatan *2 indeterminate caudatans [[Salienta]] ([[frog]]s) *2 unnamed salientans ===Turtles (Brinkman, 2005)=== *''[[Adocus]] *"''[[Apalone]]''" *''[[Aspideretoides]]'' (3 species) *''[[Basilemys]]'' *''[[Boremys]]'' *''[[Judithemys]]'' *''[[Neurankylus]]'' *''[[Plesiobaena]]'' *2 indeterminate taxa ===Choristoderes=== [[Choristodera|Choristoderes]], or [[champsosaur]]s, were aquatic reptiles. Small examples looked like lizards, while larger types were superficially similar to crocodilians (Keqin Gao and Brinkman, 2005) *''[[Champsosaurus]]'' (at least 3 species) *''[[Cteniogenys]]'' ===Lizards (Caldwell, 2005)=== [[Helodermatidae|Helodermatids]] *''[[Labrodioctes]]'' [[Necrosauridae|Necrosaurids]] *''[[Parasaniwa]]'' [[Teiidae|Teiids]] *''[[Glyptogenys]]'' *''[[Socognathus]]'' [[Varanidae|Varanids]] *''[[Palaeosaniwa]]'' [[Xenosauridae|Xenosaurids]] *?''[[Exostinus]]'' ===Plesiosaurs (Sato, Eberth, Nicholls, and Manabe, 2005)=== *indeterminate [[Elasmosauridae|elasmosaurids]] (very long-necked) (more common) *indeterminate [[Polycotylidae|polycotylids]] (shorter-necked) ===Crocodylians (Xiao-Chun Wu, 2005)=== *''[[Albertochampsa]]'' *''[[Leidysuchus]]'' *at least 1 unnamed taxon ===Pterosaurs (Godfrey and Currie, 2005)=== *1 large unnamed [[Azhdarchidae|azhdarchid]] (giant, long-necked [[pterosaur]]) *1 smaller unnamed azhdarchid *1 unnamed non-azhdarchid pterosaur ===Dinosaurs=== [[Theropoda]] (Currie, 2005) :[[Coelurosauria]] incertae sedis ::Family unknown :::*''[[Paronychodon|Paronychodon lacustris]]'' :::*''[[Ricardoestesia|Ricardoestesia gilmorei]]'' :[[Tyrannosauroidea]] ::[[Tyrannosauridae]] :::*''[[Daspletosaurus|Daspletosaurus sp.]]'' :::*''[[Gorgosaurus|Gorgosaurus libratus]]'' (also called ''[[Albertosaurus|Albertosaurus libratus]]'') :[[Ornithomimosauria]] ::[[Ornithomimidae]] :::*''[[Dromiceiomimus|Dromiceiomimus brevitertius]]'' (may be synonymous with ''[[Ornithomimus|Ornithomimus edmontonicus]])'' :::*''[[Ornithomimus|Ornithomimus edmontonicus]]'' :::*''[[Struthiomimus|Struthiomimus altus]]'' :[[Maniraptora]] ::[[Caenagnathidae]] (all of these may be species of ''[[Chirostenotes]]'') :::*''[[Caenagnathus|Caenagnathus collinsi]]'' :::*''[[Caenagnathus|C. sternbergi]]'' :::*''[[Chirostenotes|Chirostenotes pergracilis]]'' :::*''[[Elmisaurus|Elmisaurus elegans]]'' ::[[Avimimus|Avimimidae]] :::*?indeterminate avimimid ::[[Therizinosauridae]] :::*?indeterminate therizinosaurid ::[[Troodontidae]] :::*''[[Troodon|Troodon formosus]]'' :::*''[[Troodon|Troodon inequalis]]'' (formerly ''Stenonychosaurus'') (might be synonymous with the former) ::[[Dromaeosauridae]] :::*''[[Dromaeosaurus|Dromaeosaurus albertensis]]'' :::*''[[Saurornitholestes|Saurornitholestes langstoni]]'' ::[[Birds]] :::*''[[Baptornis]]'' sp. :::*''[[Cimolopteryx]]'' sp. :::*''[[Palintropus]]'' sp. :::*additional indeterminate bird taxa [[Ornithischia]] (Ryan and Evans, 2005) :[[Ankylosauria]] ::[[Ankylosauridae]] :::*''[[Euoplocephalus|Euoplocephalus tutus]]'' ::[[Nodosauridae]] :::*''[[Edmontonia|Edmontonia longiceps]]'' :::*''[[Edmontonia|E. rugosidens]]'' :::*''[[Panoplosaurus|Panoplosaurus mirus]]'' :[[Pachycephalosauria]] ::[[Pachycephalosauridae]] :::*''[[Hanssuesia|Hanssuesia sternbergi]]'' :::*''[[Gravitholus|Gravitholus albertae]]'' :::*''[[Ornatotholus|Ornatotholus browni]]'' (?juvenile ''[[Stegoceras]]'') :::*''[[Stegoceras|Stegoceras validum]]'' :::*''[[Stegoceras|"S." breve]]'' (?''[[Prenocephale]]'') :[[Ceratopsia]] :::*''[[Leptoceratops]]'' sp. ::[[Ceratopsidae]] :::[[Centrosaurinae]] :::*''[[Centrosaurus|Centrosaurus apertus]]'' :::*''[[Monoclonius|Monoclonius lowei]]'' :::*''[[Styracosaurus|Styracosaurus albertensis]]'' :::*unnamed ''[[Pachyrhinosaurus]]''-like taxon :::[[Chasmosaurinae]] :::*''[[Anchiceratops|Anchiceratops ornatus]]'' :::*''[[Chasmosaurus|Chasmosaurus belli]]'' :::*''[[Chasmosaurus|C. irvinensis]]'' :::*''[[Chasmosaurus|C. russelli]]'' :[[Ornithopoda]] :::*at least 1 indeterminate [[hypsilophodont]] ::[[Hadrosauridae]] :::[[Hadrosaurinae]] :::*''[[Brachylophosaurus|Brachylophosaurus canadensis]]'' :::*''[[Gryposaurus|Gryposaurus notabilis]]'' :::*''[[Gryposaurus|G. incurvimanus]]'' :::*''[[Prosaurolophus|Prosaurolophus maximus]]'' :::[[Lambeosaurinae]] :::*''[[Corythosaurus|Corythosaurus casuarius]]'' :::*''[[Lambeosaurus|Lambeosaurus lambei]]'' :::*''[[Lambeosaurus|L. magnicristatus]]'' :::*''[[Parasaurolophus|Parasaurolophus walkeri]]'' ===Mammals (Fox, 2005)=== [[Multituberculata]] *''[[Cimexomys]]'' sp. *''[[Cimolodon]]'' spp. *''[[Cimolomys|Cimolomys clarki]]'' *''[[Meniscoessus|Meniscoessus major]]'' *''[[Mesodma|Mesodma primaeva]]'' *unnamed multituberculates [[Marsupial]]s *''[[Alphadon|Alphadon halleyi]]'' *''[[Eodelphis|Eodelphis browni]]'' *''E. cutleri'' *5 species of "[[Pediomys]]" *''[[Turgidodon|Turgidodon russelli]]'' *''T. praesagus'' [[Placentalia|Placentals]] *''[[Cimolestes]]'' sp. (uncertain taxonomy) *''[[Gypsonictops|Gypsonictops lewisi]]'' *''[[Paranyctoides|Paranyctoides sternbergi]]'' Unknown [[Theria|therians]]: at least 1 species ==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. [[Category:Geologic formations]] [[Category:Geography of Alberta]] [[Category:Stratigraphy of Canada]] [[Category:Natural history of Canada]] [[Category:Geology of Canada]]