Wonthaggi Formation

Coordinates: 38°42′S 145°42′E / 38.7°S 145.7°E / -38.7; 145.7
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Wonthaggi Formation
Stratigraphic range: Valanginian–Barremian
Flat rocks locality
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofStrzelecki Group
UnderliesUnconformity with Wombat Volcanics & Kersop Arkose
OverliesPaleozoic basement
ThicknessUp to 2,500 m (8,200 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryVolcaniclastic sandstone, siltstone
OtherConglomerate, coal
Location
Coordinates38°42′S 145°42′E / 38.7°S 145.7°E / -38.7; 145.7
Approximate paleocoordinates77°00′S 117°30′E / 77.0°S 117.5°E / -77.0; 117.5
Region Victoria
Country Australia
ExtentGippsland Basin

Exposure of Wonthaggi Formation green in bottom-right

The Wonthaggi Formation is an informal geological formation in Victoria, Australia whose strata date back to the Early Cretaceous. It is part of the Strzelecki Group within the Gippsland Basin. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[1][2] It is partially equivalent to the Eumeralla Formation.

Geology[edit]

The Wonthaggi Formation was deposited within Gippsland Basin, which formed part of a extensional rift valley system between Australia and Antarctica. The lithology primarily consists of fluvially deposited siliciclastics derived from volcanic rocks of the Whitsunday Silicic Large Igneous Province to the East, with suggestions that the sediments either originated from braided river and sheet flood deposits, or meandering river systems on vegetated floodplains.[3] The age of the formation is thought to be Valanginian to Barremian, with the Flat Rocks site being late Barremian (~125 Ma) in age, older than the sediments from the Eumeralla Formation, which are thought to be Aptian-Albian in age.[3]

Vertebrate paleofauna[edit]

Indeterminate ornithopod remains are present in Victoria, Australia.[3] Indeterminate megaraptorid remains are present in Victoria, Australia.[4]

Amphibians[edit]

Amphibians of the Wonthaggi Formation
Genus Species Presence Notes Images
Koolasuchus K. cleelandi Tree Trunk Point, Dwyers Hill, San Remo Chigutisaurid temnospondyl, last known temnospondyl

Dinosaurs[edit]

Dinosaurs of the Wonthaggi Formation
Genus Species Locality Material Notes Images

cf. Atlascopcosaurus[3]

cf. A. loadsi[3]

Flat Rocks

known as "Victorian ornithopod maxillary morphotype 4", consists of a partial right maxilla Intermediate in morphology between Galleonosaurus and Atlascopcosaurus
Atlascopcosaurus
Qantassaurus

Galleonosaurus[3]

G. dorisae[3]

Flat Rocks

Known from a maxilla

Qantassaurus[1]

Q. intrepidus[1]

Flat Rocks

"[Three] dentaries and teeth."[5]

Q. ?intrepidus[3] Flat Rocks Known as "Victorian ornithopodan dentary morphotype 2", represented by two dentary fragments, Possibly distinct from Q. intrepidus

Serendipaceratops[1]

S. arthurclarkei[1]

The Arch, Kilcunda

Single damaged ulna

Aves[6]

Indeterminate

Possibly also present at the Eumeralla Formation (footprints).

Single furcula.

Ankylosauria indet.[7] Indeterminate Flat Rocks Teeth, dorsal vertebra, ribs, osteoderms
Noasauridae indet.[8] Indeterminate San Remo Member NMV P221202, astragalocalcaneum A non-elaphrosaurine noasaurid.
Ornithopoda indet.[3] Indeterminate Flat Rocks Dentaries referred to as "Victorian ornithopodan dentary morphotype 3" including P228408, NMV P231182, NMV P199135 and isolated teeth Different from Q. intrepidus.
Ornithopoda indet.[3] Indeterminate Cape Paterson single femur Known as "Victorian Hypsilophodontid Femur Type 2". Larger than contemporaneous ornithopods.
Megaraptora indet. Indeterminate Flat Rocks Numerous isolated teeth, and a left astragalus[9] Originally referred to "Allosaurus" robustus
Megaraptoridae indet.[10] Indeterminate Shack Bay a complete frontal, attached to a partial parietal

Mammals[edit]

Mammals of the Wonthaggi Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Ausktribosphenos A. nyktos Flat rocks Partial dentary with teeth Ausktribosphenid
Bishops B. whitmorei Partial dentary with teeth Ausktribosphenid
Corriebaatar C. marywaltersae "NMV P216655, a fragment of a left dentary bearing a complete plagiaulacoid p4 and the anterior root of m1" Multituberculate
Kryoparvus K. gerriti Partial dentary with teeth ?Ausktribosphenid
Teinolophos T. trusleri Partial dentary with teeth Monotreme

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Early Cretaceous, Australasia)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 573-574. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
  2. ^ . "Wonthaggi Formation", Australian Stratigraphic Units Database, Geoscience Australia, retrieved 2011-09-18
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Herne, Matthew C.; Nair, Jay P.; Evans, Alistair R.; Tait, Alan M. (2019). "New small-bodied ornithopods (Dinosauria, Neornithischia) from the Early Cretaceous Wonthaggi Formation (Strzelecki Group) of the Australian-Antarctic rift system, with revision of Qantassaurus intrepidus Rich and Vickers-Rich, 1999". Journal of Paleontology. 93 (3): 543–584. doi:10.1017/jpa.2018.95.
  4. ^ Poropat, Stephen F.; Martin, Sarah K.; Tosolini, Anne-Marie P.; Wagstaff, Barbara E.; Bean, Lynne B.; Kear, Benjamin P.; Vickers-Rich, Patricia; Rich, Thomas H. (2018-04-03). "Early Cretaceous polar biotas of Victoria, southeastern Australia—an overview of research to date". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology. 42 (2): 157–229. doi:10.1080/03115518.2018.1453085. ISSN 0311-5518. S2CID 133845914.
  5. ^ "Table 18.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 395.
  6. ^ Martin, Anthony J.; Vickers-Rich, Patricia; Rich, Thomas H.; Hall, and Michael (2014). "Oldest known avian footprints from Australia: Eumeralla Formation (Albian), Dinosaur Cove, Victoria". Palaeontology. 57 (1): 7–19. doi:10.1111/pala.12082.
  7. ^ Barrett, Paul M.; Rich, Thomas H.; Vickers-Rich, Patricia; Tumanova, Tat'yana A.; Inglis, Matthew; Pickering, David; Kool, Lesley; Kear, Benjamin P. (September 2010). "Ankylosaurian dinosaur remains from the Lower Cretaceous of southeastern Australia". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology. 34 (3): 205–217. doi:10.1080/03115511003655430. ISSN 0311-5518. S2CID 128882257.
  8. ^ Brougham, Tom; Smith, Elizabeth T.; Bell, Phil R. (2020-01-29). "Noasaurids are a component of the Australian 'mid'-Cretaceous theropod fauna". Scientific Reports. 10 (1): 1428. Bibcode:2020NatSR..10.1428B. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-57667-7. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 6989633. PMID 31996712.
  9. ^ Poropat, Stephen F.; White, Matt A.; Vickers-Rich, Patricia; Rich, Thomas H. (2019-07-04). "New megaraptorid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) remains from the Lower Cretaceous Eumeralla Formation of Cape Otway, Victoria, Australia (Including supplemental material)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 39 (4): e1666273. doi:10.1080/02724634.2019.1666273. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 208603798.
  10. ^ Kotevski, Jake; Duncan, Ruairidh J.; Pentland, Adele H.; Rule, James P.; Vickers-Rich, Patricia; Rich, Thomas H.; Fitzgerald, Erich M. G.; Evans, Alistair R.; Poropat, Stephen F. (2023-11-02). "A megaraptorid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) frontal from the upper Strzelecki Group (Lower Cretaceous) of Victoria, Australia". Cretaceous Research: 105769. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105769. ISSN 0195-6671.
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