Balabansai Formation
Stratigraphic range: Bathonian-Callovian
~168–164 Ma
↓
TypeGeological formation
UnderliesHodzhiabad Formation[1]
Cretaceous red beds
OverliesIgrysai Svita[1]
ThicknessUp to 250 m (820 ft)
Lithology
PrimarySandstone, siltstone, claystone
OtherGravel, marl
Location
Coordinates41°18′N 72°06′E / 41.3°N 72.1°E / 41.3; 72.1
Approximate paleocoordinates40°54′N 76°12′E / 40.9°N 76.2°E / 40.9; 76.2
RegionOngtustik Qazaqstan oblysy, Jalal-Abad Region
Country Kazakhstan
 Kyrgyzstan
 Uzbekistan
Balabansai Formation is located in Kyrgyzstan
Balabansai Formation
Balabansai Formation (Kyrgyzstan)

The Balabansai Formation (sometimes transcribed Balabansay,[1] also known as Balabansai Svita) is a geological formation in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan whose strata date back to the Bathonian and Callovian stages of the Middle Jurassic. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[2] The lithology primarily consists of variegated sandstones, siltstones, claystones, and rare gravels and marls.[3] Many taxa have been found in the formation, including amphibians[4] and mammals[5]

Vertebrate paleofauna

Indeterminate Avialae remains located in Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy, Kazakhstan.[2]

Fish

Fish of the Balabansai Formation
Genus Species Presence Notes
Ferganamia F. verzilini A bowfin
Ferganoceratodus F. jurassicus A lungfish
Palaeobates P. verzilini An elasmobranch
Polyacrodus P. balabansaiensis, P. prodigialis A hybodont

Amphibians

Amphibians of the Balabansai Formation
Genus Species Presence Notes
Ferganobatrachus[6] F. riabinini Temnospondyl
Kokartus K. honorarius Salamander

Turtles

Turtles of the Balabansai Formation
Genus Species Presence Notes
Toxocheloides T. narynensis
Xinjiangchelys X. tianshanensis, X. latimarginalis Xinjiangchelydae

Lizards

Lizards of the Balabansai Formation
Genus Species Presence Notes
Changetisaurus C. estesi Relative of Dorsetisaurus
Lacertilia Indeterminate

Choristoderes

Choristoderes of the Balabansai Formation
Genus Species Presence Notes
Choristodera Indeterminate Similar to Cteniogenys

Crocodyliformes

Crocodyliformes
Genus Species Presence Notes
Sunosuchus Indeterminate

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs
Genus Species Presence Material Notes

Praeornis[2]

P. sharovi[2]

Geographically located in Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy, Kazakhstan.[2]
Ferganasaurus[7] F. verzilini Located within Kyrgyzstan Basal Sauropod
Ferganocephale[3] F. adenticulatum Located within Kyrgyzstan Dubious taxon, Neornithischia indet.
Neosauropoda indet.[3] Family, genus and species indeterminate Kyrgyzstan A heavily worn tooth, the apex of a tooth crown, a left metatarsal I, and a right manual phalanx
Tetanurae indet.[3] Family, genus and species indeterminate Kyrgyzstan Dozens of teeth
Stegosauria indet.[8] Family, genus and species indeterminate Kyrgyzstan Four posterior dorsal vertebrae May be as old as Adratiklit. Remains not diagnostic, given nomen nudum "Ferganastegos" by Roman Ulansky.

Pterosaurs

Mammals
Genus Species Presence Notes
Rhamphorhynchinae indet.[3] Genus and species indeterminate Kyrgyzstan

Mammals

Mammals
Genus Species Presence Notes
Ferganodon F. cf. naryensis A eutriconodont
Paritatodon Indeterminate A docodont or a shuotheriid
Simpsonodon Indeterminate A docodont, multiple species present
Tashkumyrodon[9] T. desideratus A docodont
Amphilestidae Indeterminate
Amphitheriidae Indeterminate
Docodonta Indeterminate
Paurodontidae Indeterminate
Tegotheriidae Indeterminate
Tinodontidae Indeterminate
Triconodontidae Indeterminate

Invertebrate paleofauna

Molluscs

Genus Species Presence Notes
Proparreysia[10] "P. thashkumyrica" A bivalve
Sulcatapex[10] "S. chatkalica" A bivalve
Yeniella[10] "Y. asiatica", "Y. sculpturata" A bivalve

Flora

Conifers

Genus Species Presence Notes
Podozamites[10] P. lanceolatus

Ferns

Genus Species Presence Notes
Cladophlebis[10] C. whitbiensis
Coniopteris[10] C. furssenkoi, C. hymenophylloides

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c De Pelsmaeker, Elien; Jolivet, Marc; Laborde, Amandine; Poujol, Marc; Robin, Cécile; Zhimulev, Fedor I.; Nachtergaele, Simon; Glorie, Stijn; De Clercq, Shana; Batalev, Vladislav Yu.; De Grave, Johan (2018). "Source-to-sink dynamics in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan from the Jurassic to the Paleogene: Insights from sedimentological and detrital zircon U-Pb analyses" (PDF). Gondwana Research. 54: 180–204. Bibcode:2018GondR..54..180D. doi:10.1016/j.gr.2017.09.004. ISSN 1342-937X.
  2. ^ a b c d e Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Jurassic, Asia)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 550–552. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
  3. ^ a b c d e AVERIANOV, ALEXANDER O.; MARTIN, THOMAS; BAKIROV, AIZEK A. (January 2005). "Pterosaur and dinosaur remains from the Middle Jurassic Balabansai Svita in the northern Fergana Depression, Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia)". Palaeontology. 48 (1): 135–155. Bibcode:2005Palgy..48..135A. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2004.00437.x. ISSN 0031-0239. S2CID 55249438.
  4. ^ Skutschas, Pavel P. (2013-10-01). "Mesozoic salamanders and albanerpetontids of Middle Asia, Kazakhstan, and Siberia". Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments. 93 (4): 441–457. doi:10.1007/s12549-013-0126-8. ISSN 1867-1594. S2CID 140159226.
  5. ^ Martin, Thomas; Averianov, Alexander O. (2010-05-18). "Mammals from the Middle Jurassic Balabansai Formation of the Fergana Depression, Kyrgyzstan". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 30 (3): 855–871. Bibcode:2010JVPal..30..855M. doi:10.1080/02724631003758045. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 128716878.
  6. ^ AVERIANOV, ALEXANDER O.; MARTIN, THOMAS; SKUTSCHAS, PAVEL P.; REZVYI, ANTON S.; BAKIROV, AIZEK A. (2008-01-25). "Amphibians from the Middle Jurassic Balabansai Svita in the Fergana Depression, Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia)". Palaeontology. 51 (2): 471–485. Bibcode:2008Palgy..51..471A. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00748.x. ISSN 0031-0239.
  7. ^ Alifanov, Vladimir R.; Averianov, Alexander O. (2003-06-17). "Ferganasaurus verzilini, gen. et sp. nov., a new neosauropod (Dinosauria, Saurischia, Sauropoda) from the Middle Jurassic of Fergana Valley, Kirghizia" (PDF). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 23 (2): 358–372. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2003)023[0358:fvgesn]2.0.co;2. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 85902362.
  8. ^ Averianov, A. O.; Bakirov, A. A.; Martin, T. (2007). "First definitive stegosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan". Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 81 (4): 440–446. doi:10.1007/BF02990255. ISSN 0031-0220. S2CID 129163170.
  9. ^ Martin, Thomas; Averianov, Alexander O. (2004-03-25). "A new docodont (Mammalia) from the Middle Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan, central Asia" (PDF). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 24 (1): 195–201. Bibcode:2004JVPal..24..195M. doi:10.1671/15. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 55118845.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Кузичкина, Ю. М. (1979). "Балабансайская Свита". In Министерство геологии СССР (ed.). Стратиграфический словарь СССР: Триас, Юра, Мелсборник [Stratigraphic Dictionary of the USSR: Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous] (PDF). Leningrad: Недра. p. 49.
Categories