Karabastau Formation
The Karabastau Formation (Kazakh: Qarabastaý svıtasy) is a geological formation in Kazakhstan whose strata date back to the Late Jurassic. Pterosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[1][2]
Karabastau Formation Stratigraphic range: Late Jurassic Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian | |
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Specimen of Sordes | |
Type | Geological formation |
Area | Karatau Mountains |
Thickness | 26 m (85 ft) exposed |
Lithology | |
Primary | Claystone |
Other | Dolomite, conglomerate |
Location | |
Region | Central Asia |
Country | ![]() |
Lithology and depositional environment
The primary lithology consists of 1 mm thick varve laminations of claystone, with a dark part and a light dolomitic part, which probably correspond to a wet and dry season respectively. These were deposited within an ancient freshwater paleolake, that given the number of laminations has been suggested to have existed for over 150,000 years.[2] The formation is noted for its exceptional preservation of fossils, exemplified by the preserved pycnofibres of Sordes.
Paleofauna
Vertebrates
Genus | Species | County | Member | Abundance | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
B. volans |
2 specimens |
An Anurognathid Pterosaur. |
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K. sharovi |
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K. sharovi |
One of the earliest salamanders. | |||||
Praeornis | P. sharovi | 2 specimens | Proto-Feather | |||
Sharovisaurus | S. karatauensis | A Paramacellodid lizard | ||||
S. pilosus | 8 specimens |
A Pterodactylomorph Pterosaur. | ||||
Yaxartemys | Y. longicauda | Turtle | ||||
Palaeonisciformes | 2 species | 346 specimens | 2 distinct taxa[3] | |||
Invertebrates
Numerous species of insect are known from several localities within the formation, primarily Karatau-Mikhailovka[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] an extremely partial list is given here
Genus | Species | County | Member | Abundance | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Archocyrtus | A. gibbosus, A. kovalevi | An Acrocerid fly | ||||
Aulieezidium | A. karatauense | A Fulgoromorph | ||||
A. mirabilis |
A Micropterygid moth. |
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O. aberatum, O. jurassicum, O. pilosum |
Ommatid beetles | |||||
Mesogyrus | M. antiquus | Gyrinid beetle | ||||
P. aurea |
A Micropterygid or Eolepidopterigid moth. | |||||
Pseudopolycentropus | P. latipennis | Basal Mecopteran | ||||
Stenophlebia | S. karatavica | Stem-Dragonfly | ||||
See also
References
- Barrett, P.M., Butler, R.J., Edwards, N.P., & Milner, A.R. Pterosaur distribution in time and space: an atlas. p61-107. in Flugsaurier: Pterosaur papers in honour of Peter Wellnhofer. 2008. Hone, D.W.E., and Buffetaut, E. (eds). Zitteliana B, 28. 264pp.
- Dzik, Jerzy; Sulej, Tomasz; Niedźwiedzki, Grzegorz (2010-07-14). "Possible link connecting reptilian scales with avian feathers from the early Late Jurassic of Kazakstan". Historical Biology. 22 (4): 394–402. doi:10.1080/08912961003710616. ISSN 0891-2963.
- Skrzycka, Roksana (2014-07-03). "Revision of two relic actinopterygians from the Middle or Upper Jurassic Karabastau Formation, Karatau Range, Kazakhstan". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology. 38 (3): 364–390. doi:10.1080/03115518.2014.880267. ISSN 0311-5518.
- "Karabastau Formation". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- "Karatau-Galkino (PIN collection 1789)". Paleobiology Database.
- "Karatau-Mikhailovka (PIN collection 2997)". Paleobiology Database.
- "Karatau-Mikhailovka (PIN collection 2554)". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- "Karatau-Mikhailovka (PIN collection 2066)". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- "Karatau-Mikhailovka (PIN collection 2239)". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- "Karatau-Mikhailovka (PIN collection 2384)". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- "Karatau-Mikhailovka (PIN collection 2904)". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- "Karatau-Mikhailovka (PIN collection 2784)". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- "Karatau-Galkino (PIN collection 2452)". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- Tan, Jingjing; Wang, Yongjie; Ren, Dong; Yang, Xingke (2012). "New fossil species of ommatids (Coleoptera: Archostemata) from the Middle Mesozoic of China illuminating the phylogeny of Ommatidae". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 12: 113. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-12-113. PMC 3518168. PMID 22776212.