Hekou Formation

Hekou Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Cretaceous,Coniacian–Campanian
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofGuifeng Group
UnderliesTangbian Formation
OverliesUnconformity: Zhoutian Formation
Lithology
PrimaryConglomerate, glutenite
OtherSandstone, siltstone, tuff
Location
RegionJiangxi Province, Asia
Country China

The Hekou Formation is a Cretaceous geologic formation in China. Pterosaur fossils have been recovered from the formation. It is a unit of the Guifeng Group and dates to the Late Cretaceous (Coniacian-early Campanian).[1] Dinosaur fossils from the formation include a nearly perfect oviraptorid embryo nicknamed Baby Yingliang, an unnamed large hadrosaurid, and hadrosauroid eggs with embryos.[2][3][4] Mammal fossils include Erythrobaatar and Yubaatar qianzhouensis.[5][6] The polyglyphanodontian lizard Yechilacerta has also been described from the formation.[7]

  1. ^ Xi, D.; Wan, X.; Li, G.; Li, G. (2018). "Cretaceous integrative stratigraphy and timescale of China". Science China Earth Sciences. 61: 1–31. doi:10.1007/s11430-017-9262-y. S2CID 135150710.
  2. ^ Xing, Lida; Niu, Kecheng; Ma, Waisum; Zelenitsky, Darla K.; Yang, Tzu-Ruei; Brusatte, Stephen L. (2022). "An exquisitely preserved in-ovo theropod dinosaur embryo sheds light on avian-like prehatching postures". iScience. 25 (1): 103516. Bibcode:2022iSci...25j3516X. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2021.103516. PMC 8786642. PMID 35106456.
  3. ^ Xing, Lida; Niu, Kecheng; Wang, Donghao; Marquez, Albert Prieto (2020-06-18). "A partial articulated hadrosaurid skeleton from the Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) of the Ganzhou area, Jiangxi Province, China". Historical Biology. 33 (10): 2256–2259. doi:10.1080/08912963.2020.1782397. ISSN 0891-2963. S2CID 225764043.
  4. ^ Xing L, Niu K, Yang TR, Wang D, Miyashita T, Mallon JC (2022). "Hadrosauroid eggs and embryos from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of Jiangxi Province, China". BMC Ecology and Evolution. 22 (1): Article number 60. doi:10.1186/s12862-022-02012-x. PMC 9088101. PMID 35534805.
  5. ^ Jin, X.; Mao, F.; Du, T.; Yang, Y.; Meng, J. (2022). "A new multituberculate from the latest Cretaceous of central China and its implications for multituberculate tooth homologies and occlusion". Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 30: 1–20. doi:10.1007/s10914-022-09636-2. S2CID 253192551.
  6. ^ Hu, J.; Han, F. (2021). "A new multituberculate, Yubaatar qianzhouensis sp. nov.: the first Late Cretaceous mammal from Ganzhou Basin, Jiangxi Province". Acta Palaeontologica Sinica. 60 (4): 565–579. doi:10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020057.
  7. ^ Xing, Lida; Niu, Kecheng; Evans, Susan E. (2023). "A new polyglyphanodontian lizard with a complete lower temporal bar from the Upper Cretaceous of southern China". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 21 (1). Bibcode:2023JSPal..2181494X. doi:10.1080/14772019.2023.2281494. ISSN 1477-2019.