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Guanling Formation
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Guanling Formation

The Guanling Formation is a Middle Triassic (Anisian or Pelsonian in the regional chronostratigraphy) geologic formation in southwestern China.

Key Information

Geology

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The formation encompasses two members. The first member is primarily calcareous mudstone and dolomite, indicative of a coastal environment. The second member is a thicker marine sequence of dark micritic limestone with some dolomite. Two distinct fossil assemblages are found in the second member. The older Luoping biota preserves abundant arthropods (including isopods,[1] decapods,[2] mysidaceans and thylacocephalans[3]) along with fossils from other invertebrates and vertebrates, which are rare but well-preserved. The slightly younger Panxian fauna has a more diverse and common assortment of marine reptiles such as sauropterygians.[4]

A tuff bed in the Luoping biota has been dated to 244.5 ± 2.2 Ma via U-Pb SHRIMP dating. The Luoping biota as a whole was deposited over a period of 340 ± 71 kyr. This estimate is justified by cyclostratigraphic evidence, as indicated by fluctuations of terrestrial proxy metals.[5]

Fossil content

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Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Among others, the following fossils were reported from the formation:

Invertebrates

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Arthropoda

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Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Arthropods of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Material Notes Image
Acanthochirana[6] A. spinifera Luoping Biota Upper Member A preserved exoskeleton An early aegerid prawn
Anisaeger [6] A. brevirostrus Luoping Biota Upper Member A preserved exoskeleton An early aegerid prawn
Aeger A. luxii Luoping Biota Upper Member A preserved exoskeleton An early aegerid prawn
Distaeger[6] D prodigiosus Luoping Biota Upper Member A preserved exoskeleton An early aegerid prawn
Koryncheiros K. luopingensis Luoping Biota Upper Member A preserved exoskeleton A clytiopsid
Protamphisopus [7] P. baii Dawazi, Luoping and Ranjiazhai village, Guizhou Upper Member A preserved exoskeleton An amphisopid
Sinopemphix S. guizhouensis Dawazi, Luoping Upper Member A preserved exoskeleton A pemphicid
Sinosoma S. luopingense Dawazi, Luoping Member II A preserved exoskeleton A chilognatha
Tridactylastacus T. sinensis Luoping Biota Upper Member A preserved exoskeleton A litogastroid
Yunnanocopia Y. grandis Dawazi and Shangshikan Quarry, Luoping Upper Member A carapace A eucopiid crustacean
Y. longicauda A carapace
Yunnanolimulus Y. luopingensis Dawazi, Luoping Upper Member A carapace A limulid (horseshoe crab)
Yunnanopalinura Y. schrami Luoping Biota Upper Member A preserved exoskeleton An early relative of spiny lobsters

Ammonoidea

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Ammonites of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Material Notes Image
Progonoceratites P. pulcher Guizhou A fossilized shell A ceratitid ammonite

Bivalvia

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Bivalves of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Material Notes Image
Asoella A. illyrica
Eumorphotis E. (Asoella) paradoxica
Myophoria M. (Costatoria) goldfussi
Pleuromya P. elongata
Brachiopoda
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Brachiopods of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Material Notes Image
Lingula L. deitersensis
L. marginia
L. polaris
Pseudospiriferina P. multicostata
P. pinguis
Punctospirella P. fragilis
Echinoidea
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Sea Urchins of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Material Notes Image
Yunnanechinus[8] Y. luopingensis Luoping Biota, Yunnan Member II A specimen An early sea urchin

Vertebrates

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Fish

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Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Actinopterygii
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Ray-finned fish of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Material Notes Image
Altisolepis A. sinensis Dawazi, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton A peltopleurid bony fish
Frodoichthys luopingensis
Luoxiongichthys hyperdorsalis
Diandongichthys[9] D. ocellatus Luoping, Yunnan Upper Member A complete, laterally compressed specimen A basal ginglymodian
Diandongperleidus D. denticulatus Dawazi, Yunnan Upper Member A preserved skeleton A perleidiform
Feroxichthys F. panzhouensis Xinmin, Panxian Upper Member A skeleton A colobodontid
F. yunnanensis Luoping Biota, Yunnan A skeleton
Frodoichthys F. luopingensis Dawazi village, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton An early neopterygian
Fuyuanperleidus F. dengi Dawazi village, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton A fuyuanperleidid
Gimlichthys G. dawaziensis Dawazi village, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton An early neopterygian
Gymnoichthys G. inopinatus Dawazi village, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton An amiiform
Habroichthys H. broughi Dawazi village, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton A peltopleuriform
Kyphosichthys[10] K. grandei Luoping, eastern Yunnan Province Upper Member A complete preserved skeleton A kyphosichthyiform
Lashanichthys[11] L. sui Yangjuan, Guizhou Upper Member A partial skeleton A lashanichthyid
L. yangjuanensis Dawazi Village, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton
Luopingichthys L. bergi Dawazi Village, Yunnan Member II A skeleton A louwoichthyiform
Luoxiongichthys L. hyperdorsalis Luoxiong Town, Yunnan Lower member A nearly complete skeleton and skull, a partial skull, and other referred materials A halecomorph
Louwoichthys L. pusillus Yunnan Member II A skeleton A louwoichthyid fish
Luopingperleidus L. sui Dawazi, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton A perleidid
Marcopoloichthys[12] M. ani Dawazi village, Yunnan Upper Member A complete specimen A teleosteomorph
Panxianichthys P. imparilis Xinmin, Guizhou and Yanjuan Upper Member A skeleton A panxianichthyiform
Perleidus[13] P. sinensis Dawazi village, Yunnan Upper Member A specimen A perleidid
Platysiagum P. sinensis Dawazi, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton A platysiagid
Pteronisculus P. changae Dawazi village, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton An early ray-finned fish of uncertain affinites
P. nielseni[14] Luoping Biota, Yunnan A skeleton
Robustichthys R. luopingensis Luoping Biota, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton A Ionoscopiform
Saurichthys S. dawaziensis Dawazi village, Yunnan Upper member A broad skull and crushing dentition A saurichthyiform
S. spinosa
Sinosaurichthys S. longimedialis Yangjuan, Guizhou and Dawazi of Luoping, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton A saurichthyiform
S. longipectoralis A skeleton
S. minuta A skeleton
Subortichthys S. triassicus Luoping biota, Yunnan Member II A skeleton A subortichthyid
Venusichthys[15] V. comptus Luoping biota, Yunnan Member II Multiple skeletons A neopterygian in the monotypic family Venusichthyidae
Yelangichthys Y. macrocephalus Xindian, Guizhou Upper Member A broad skull and crushing dentition. A saurichthyiform
Yudaiichthys [11] Y. eximius Luoping biota, Yunnan Member II A skeleton A lashanichthyid
Sarcopterygii
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Lobe-finned fish of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Material Notes Image
Luopingcoelacanthus L. eurylacrimalis Luoping Biota, Yunnan Upper Member Multiple skeletons A coelacanthiform
Luopingcoelacanthus eurylacrimalis
Yunnancoelacanthus Y. acrotuberculatus Luoping Biota, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton A coelacanthiform

Reptiles

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Ichthyosauria
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Ichthyosaurs of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Materials Notes Image
Barracudasauroides[16] B. panxianensis Yangjuan village, Xinmin Upper Member[16][4] A skeleton A small mixosaurid ichthyosaur; either a member of its own genus[17] or a species of Mixosaurus.[4]
Barracudasauroides
Phalarodon
Mixosaurus
Mixosaurus M. kuhnschnyderi Xinzhai Village, Luoping Upper Member A specimen A small mixosaurid ichthyosaur
M. luxiensis Huale Village, Luxi Upper Member A largely complete but disarticulated skeleton
M. panxianensis Yangjuan Hill locality Middle Member A skeleton
M. xindianensis Xindian, Qingshan Pu'an Upper Member
Phalarodon[18][19] P. atavus[19] Upper Member[4] A complete skeleton A small mixosaurid ichthyosaur; might represent a member of its own genus, Contectopalatus.
P. fraasi[18] Yangjuan Village Upper Member[4] A skull with durophagous dentition. A small mixosaurid ichthyosaur
Xinminosaurus[20] X. catactes Near Yangjuan Village, Guizhou Upper Member[4] A nearly complete skeleton A medium-sized early ichthyosaur with durophagous dentition, possibly a member of Cymbospondylidae.
Pseudosuchia
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Pseudosuchians of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Materials Notes Image
Chirotherium C. bartheii Zhenfeng County, Guizhou Upper Member Several trackways A pseudosuchian archosaur
Qianosuchus
Qianosuchus Q. mixtus Xinmin, Panxian Two nearly complete skeletons and a crushed skull An aquatic poposauroid archosaur
Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Nothosauria
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Nothosaurs of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Materials Notes Image
Dawazisaurus D. brevis Dawazisaurus-type locality, Yunnan Member II A nearly complete skeleton exposed in dorsal view A sauropterygian of possible nothosauroid affinities
Dawazisaurus
Nothosaurus
Dikoposichnus[21] D. luopingensis Qingyuan Village, Guizhou, and Luoping Biota, Yunnan Member I 12 trackways and footprints A probable nothosaur ichnotaxon
Lariosaurus[22] L. hongguoensis Yangjuan village, Guizhou Upper Member A near-complete skeleton A small Lariosaurinae nothosaur
Nothosaurus N. rostellatus[23] Panxian, Guizhou Upper Member A complete skull and incomplete postcranial skeleton A nothosaur
N. yangjuanensis Panxian, Guizhou Middle Member A partial skeleton
N. zhangi[24] Bed 165 of the Dawazi section, Yunnan Upper Member A complete lower jaw associated with a partial postcranial skeleton
Sanchiaosaurus S. dengi Sanchiao in the vicinity of Guiyang and Chinchungchiao, Guizhou Middle member A partial skeleton A nothosaur
Pachypleurosauria
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Pachypleurosaurs of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Materials Notes Image
Diandongosaurus D. acutidentatus Dawazi, Yunnan Member II A complete and articulated skeleton with skull A small pachypleurosaur
Luopingosaurus
Wumengosaurus
Dianopachysaurus D. dingi Dawazi, Luoping Member II A near-complete articulated skeleton A keichousaurid pachypleurosaur
Dianmeisaurus D. gracilis Luoping, Yunnan Upper Member A small skeleton likely belonging to an immature individual A pachypleurosaur
D. mutaensis Northwest of Muta village, Luxi A complete and articulated skeleton exposed in dorsal view
Honghesaurus H. longicaudalis Luxi, Yunnan Member II A skeleton A pachypleurosaurid
Luopingosaurus[25] L. imparilis Luoping, Yunnan Upper Member A skeleton A pachypleurosaurid
Panzhousaurus[26] P. rotundirostris Dapianpo Quarry from Yangjuan Village, Guizhou Upper Member A near-complete skeleton A pachypleurosaur
Wumengosaurus W. delicatomandibularis Yangjuan Village, Xinmin Member II A skeleton A small pachypleurosaur
W. rotundicarpus Panzhou, Guizhou Member II A specimen
Placodontiformes
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Placodontiformes of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Materials Notes Image
Atopodentatus[27] A. unicus Dawazi, Yunnan Upper Member and Member II[27] Several well-preserved specimens A bizarre, likely herbivorous[28] sauropterygian with possible placodontiform affinities[29]
Atopodentatus
Placodus
Placodus[30] P. inexpectatus Yangjuan Village, Xinmin Upper Member[30][4] A skeleton A medium-sized placodontid placodont, known from a[30]
Saurosphargidae
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Saurosphargidae of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Materials Notes Image
Anshunpes[21] A. aquacursor Qingyuan Village, Guizhou Songzikan Member (Member I) A trackway consisting of 10 right and 9 left autopodial (?manus) imprints An ichnotaxon of Saurosphargidae
Sinosaurosphargis
Largocephalosaurus L. polycarpon[31] Luoping, Yunnan Upper Member [31][4] A nearly complete and articulated skull and skeleton missing most of its tail A mid-sized basal saurosphargid sauropterygian
L. qianensis[32] Panxian, Gauizhou Upper Member [32][4] Multiple specimens A mid-sized basal saurosphargid sauropterygian
Sinosaurosphargis[33] S. yunguinensis Yangmazhai of Luoping County, Yunnan and Yangjian of Pan County, Guizhou Upper Member [33][4] Multiple specimens A small armoured saurosphargid sauropterygian
Tanysauria
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Tanysaurians of the Guanling Formation
Genus Species Locality Member Materials Notes Image
Austronaga[34] A. minuta Waina Village, Yunnan Member II A nearly complete skull articulated, the first six cervical vertebrae, and 65 caudal vertebrae A trachelosaurid
Dinocephalosaurus
Pectodens
Dinocephalosaurus[35] D. orientalis Paxian, Gaizhou and Luoping, Yunnan Member II Multiple specimens A trachelosaurid
Gracilicollum[36] G. latens Near Xinmin Village in Panzhou, Guizhou Member II A skull and partial neck A probable trachelosaurid
Luxisaurus[35] L. terrestris Near Suomeiluo in Luxi County, Yunnan Upper Member An articulated partial skeleton A tanystropheid
Pectodens[35] P. zhenyuensis Luoping, Yunnan Member II A well-preserved and near-complete skeleton A small trachelosaurid

References

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