Jiufotang Formation
Stratigraphic range: Aptian
~122–118.9 Ma
↓
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofJehol Group
Sub-unitsShangheshou & Meileyingzi Beds
UnderliesFuxin & Shahai Formations
OverliesYixian Formation
Lithology
PrimaryMudstone
OtherSandstone
Location
Coordinates41°12′N 119°24′E / 41.2°N 119.4°E / 41.2; 119.4
Approximate paleocoordinates44°24′N 119°30′E / 44.4°N 119.5°E / 44.4; 119.5
RegionLiaoning
Country China
Type section
Named forJiufotang, Pingfangzi, Liaoning
Named byRyuji Endo
Year defined1934[1]
Jiufotang Formation is located in China
Jiufotang Formation
Jiufotang Formation (China)
Jiufotang Formation is located in Liaoning
Jiufotang Formation
Jiufotang Formation (Liaoning)

The Jiufotang Formation (Chinese: 九佛堂组; pinyin: jiǔfótáng zǔ) is an Early Cretaceous geological formation in Chaoyang, Liaoning which has yielded fossils of feathered dinosaurs, primitive birds, pterosaurs, and other organisms (see Jehol Biota). It is a member of the Jehol group. The exact age of the Jiufotang has been debated for years, with estimates ranging from the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. New uranium-lead dates reveal the formation is deposited in the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous.[2] Fossils of Microraptor and Jeholornis are from the Jiufotang.[3]

Fossil content

Choristoderans

Genus Species County Member Abundance Notes
Philydrosaurus P. proseilus Monjurosuchid
Ikechosaurus I. pijiagouensis Simoedosaurid
Liaoxisaurus L. chaoyangensis Simoedosaurid

Fish

Genus Species County Member Notes Images
Caeruleum[4] C. miraculum Weichang A lamprey
Jinanichthys J. longicephalus An osteoglossomorph
Lycoptera L. davidi An osteoglossomorph
Peipiaosteus P. pani A fish related to sturgeons
Protopsephurus P. liui A paddlefish
Sinamia S. zdanskyi An amiiform

Mammaliamorphs

Several mammaliamorph specimens have been found from the Jiufotang, but only a few have been formally described and named.

Genus Species County Member Material Notes
Cokotherium C. jiufotangensis[5] Partial skeleton A eutherian
Fossiomanus F. sinensis[6] A nearly complete skeleton A tritylodontid cynodont, likely the youngest known non-mammalian synapsid
Liaoconodon L. hui[7] A nearly complete skeleton A eutriconodont
Unnamed mammal Unnamed Partial remains including a foot and fragments of the skull A mammal similar to Eomaia and Sinodelphys from the Yixian Formation. Found as stomach contents of Microraptor zhaoianus.

Ornithischians

Genus Species County Member Material Notes Images

Chuanqilong[8]

C. chaoyangensis[8]

Liaoning A nearly complete skeleton missing only the distal portion of the caudal series.

A basal ankylosaurid, sister taxon to Liaoningosaurus.[8]

Liaoningosaurus[9] L. paradoxus[9]
Liaoningosaurus paradoxus

Psittacosaurus

Psittacosaurus meileyingensis

Meileyingzi Bed

"[Four] individuals, [two] complete skulls."[10]

A ceratopsian.
Psittacosaurus meileyingensis
Psittacosaurus mongoliensis

Psittacosaurus mongoliensis

Shangheshou and Meileyingzi Beds

Pterosaurs

Genus Species County Member Material Notes Images

Chaoyangopterus

C. zhangi

A chaoyangopterid[11]
Liaoningopterus
Nemicolopterus
Nurhachius
Sinopterus and Huaxiadraco

Eoazhdarcho

E. liaoxiensis

A chaoyangopterid[11]

Feilongus

F. youngi

Jianshangou Bed

A boreopterid
Forfexopterus F. jeholensis A ctenochasmatid

Gladocephaloideus

G. jingangshanensis

Jingangshan Bed

A ctenochasmatid
Guidraco

G. venator

A pteranodontoid[12]

Hongshanopterus H. lacustris An istiodactylid
Huaxiadraco H. corollatus Multiple specimens A tapejarid[13]

"Huaxiapterus"

"H." benxiensis

A tapejarid; synonymized with Huaxiadraco in 2023

Ikrandraco

I. avatar

A pteranodontoid[12]

Jidapterus

J. edentus

A chaoyangopterid[11]

Liaoningopterus

L. gui

A pteranodontoid[12]

Liaoxipterus

L. brachyognathus

An istiodactylid[11]

Linlongopterus

L. jennyae

A pteranodontoid[12]

Meilifeilong M. youhao Jianchang A nearly complete skeleton and a partial skull A chaoyangopterid[14]

Nemicolopterus

N. crypticus

A tapejaromorph; previously and still occasionally thought to be a tapejarid. Most likely a juvenile, hence small size.

Nurhachius

N. ignaciobritoi

An istiodactylid[11]
Pangupterus P. liui A pterodactyloid

Shenzhoupterus

S. chaoyangensis

A chaoyangopterid

S. sanyainus A chaoyangopterid[15]

Sinopterus

S. dongi

A tapejarid[11]

S. jii

Previously known as Huxiapterus jii

Vesperopterylus

V. lamadongensis

An anurognathid

Saurischians

A large titanosaur is present in the formation.[16]

Enantiornithines

Genus Species County Member Material Notes Images

Alethoalaornis

Alethoalaornis agitornis[17]

An enantiornithean

Longipteryx
Rapaxavis
Sinornis
Yuanchuavis

Boluochia

Boluochia zhengi

"Partial skull [and] partial postcranium."[18]

A longipterygid

Brevirostruavis Brevirostruavis macrohyoideus "an extremely elongate bony hyoid element (only slightly shorter than the skull), combined with a short cranial rostrum."[19] An enantiornithine

Cathayornis

Cathayornis aberransis

An enantiornithine

Cathayornis caudatus

Nomen dubium[20]

Cathayornis yandica

"Partial skeleton."[18]

An enantiornithean

Cuspirostrisornis

Cuspirostrisornis houi

A possible avisaurid

Dapingfangornis

Dapingfangornis sentisorhinus

An enantiornithean

Eocathayornis

Eocathayornis walkeri

"Partial skeleton."[18]

An enantiornithean

Gracilornis

Gracilornis jiufotangensis

An enantiornithean

Huoshanornis

Huoshanornis huji

An enantiornithean

Largirostrornis

Largirostrornis sexdentoris

An enantiornithean

Longchengornis

Longchengornis sanyanensis

An enantiornithean

Longipteryx

Longipteryx chaoyangensis

A longipterygid

Musivavis Musivavis amabilis "A nearly complete and articulated skeleton preserved in a single slab."[21] An euenantiornithean

Rapaxavis

Rapaxavis pani

A longipterygid

Shangyang

Shangyang graciles

An enantiornithean

Sinornis

Sinornis santensis

"Partial skull [and] many nearly complete postcranial skeletons."[22]

An enantiornithean

Xiangornis

Xiangornis shenmi

An enantiornithean

Yuanchuavis

Yuanchuavis kompsosoura

An pengornithid

Euornithines

Genus Species County Member Material Notes Images

Aberratiodontus

A. wui

Junior synonym of Yanornis martini[23]

Yanornis martini
Yixianornis grabaui

Chaoyangia

C. beishanensis

"Partial skeleton."[22]

A basal euornithean

Jianchangornis

J. microdonta

Jianchang

A basal euornithean

Mengciusornis

M. dentatus

A schizoourid

Parahongshanornis[24]

P. chaoyangensis

A hongshanornithid

Piscivoravis

P. lii

An ornithuromorph

Schizooura

S. lii

Jianchang

A schizoourid with long, forked tail feathers

Similiyanornis

S. brevipectus

An ornithuromorph

Songlingornis

S. linghensis

An ornithuromorph

Yanornis

Y. martini

An ornithuromorph

Yixianornis

Y. grabaui

An ornithuromorph

Zhongjianornis

Z. yangi

A basal euornithean[25]

Non-ornithothoracean theropods

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.
Genus Species County Member Material Notes Images
Chongmingia[26] C. zhengi A partial skeleton with preserved soft tissues A jinguofortisid avialan
Confuciusornis sanctus
Jeholornis prima
Microraptor gui
Sinotyrannus kazuoensis
Wulong bohaiensis

Confuciusornis

C. sanctus

A primitive short-tailed avialan (pygostylian). Also present in the Yixian Formation

C. jianchangensis

Liaoning

Cratonavis[27] C. zhui Jianchang A complete skeleton with preserved feathers A jinguofortisid avialam

Dalianraptor

D. cuhe

Nomen dubium, named from a forged artificially assembled specimen.

Jeholornis[3]

J. prima[3]

A jeholornithiform avialan, also present in the Yixian Formation[28]

J. palmapenis[29]

A jeholornithiform avialan

Kompsornis

K. longicaudatus

"Nearly complete specimen".[30]

A jeholornithiform avialan

Microraptor

M. gui

Shangheshou Bed

Extremely common[16]

Could be synonym of Microraptor zhaoianus

M. zhaoianus

Shangheshou Bed[16]

"At least [three] partial semiarticulated postcrania and several skulls."[31] Feathered integument is also preserved.[31]

A dromaeosaurid.

Neimengornis

N. rectusmim

A jeholornithiform avialan

Omnivoropteryx

O. sinousaorum

An omnivoropterygiform avialan

Sapeornis

S. angustis

"Nearly complete skeleton without skull."[32]

An omnivoropterygiform, a primitive short-tailed avialan

S. chaoyangensis

Shenshiornis

Shenshiornis primita[33]

An omnivoropterygiform avialan

Similicaudipteryx

S. yixianensis

An oviraptorosaur

Sinotyrannus[34]

S. kazuoensis[34]

A tyrannosauroid[34]

Wulong[35] W. bohaiensis[35] Chaoyang, Liaoning[35] Complete articulated skeleton (D2933).[35] A dromaeosaurid

Crustaceans

Genus Species County Member Material Notes Images
Eosestheria Eosestheria middendorfii[36] A clam shrimp

Plants

Genus Species County Member Material Notes Images
Czekanowskia Czekanowskia rigida[37] A member of Czekanowskiales, Dominant
Ginkgo Ginkgo digitata[37] A member of Ginkgoales
Elatocladus Elatocladus pinnatus[37] Conifer foliage
Pityolepis Pityolepis ovatus[37] Conifer cone
Leptostrobus Leptostrobus sinensis[37] A member of Czekanowksiales, occasionally misspelled "Leptosthrobus"
Baiera Baiera valida[37] A member of Ginkgoales
Baiera cf. gracilis[37]
Ginkgoites Ginkgoites trancata[37] A member of Ginkgoales, dominant
Gingkgoites trancatus[37]
Podozamites Podozamites sp.[36] Conifer foliage
Sphenopteris Sphenopteris sp.[36] Seed plant foliage


See also

References

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