The Eumeralla Formation is a geological formation in Victoria, Australia whose strata date back to the Early Cretaceous. It is Aptian to Albian in age. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, particularly from the Dinosaur Cove locality.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. .
Geology
The Eumeralla Formation was deposited within the Otway Basin, which at the time of deposition was part of an extensional rift valley system formed between Australia and Antarctica. The lithology primarily consists of fluvially deposited siliciclastics derived from volcanic material. The strata of the Eumeralla Formation are folded as a result of northwest–southeast crustal compression during the Neogene, which also reactivated some Cretaceous aged normal faults. It is one of three major fossiliferous deposits in Victoria dating to the Early Cretaceous, including the older Wonthaggi Formation and the Koonwarra fossil bed (which some authors have considered part of the Eumeralla Formation).
Paleoclimate Paleosol facies in the Eumeralla Formation record climate fluctuations between warm and cool intervals. Warm, temperate periods are represented by Ultisols while cooler intervals at the Cape Paton locality record associated thin, gleyed Inceptisols and Entisols, which are characteristic of modern boreal forests.
Fossil content Invertebrate traces named as Skolithos sp. and Arenicolites sp.,Milanesia Beach tracksite at Fossilworks.org as well as indeterminate ornithischian tracks are present in Victoria, Australia. Indeterminate ornithopod remains are present at Eric the Red West locality and Elliot River, including material that possibly belongs to a new taxon. Indeterminate theropod and possible indeterminate dromaeosaurid remains are present in Victoria, Australia. An indeterminate unenlagiine is known from the formation.
Dinosaurs
Ornithischians Ornithischians of the Eumeralla FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Ankylosauria Indet. Indeterminate Dinosaur Cove Dorsal vertebra Atlascopcosaurus A. loadsi Dinosaur Cove, Eric the Red West locality "Maxilla [and] teeth.""Table 18.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 394. A elasmarian ornithopod Diluvicursor D. pickeringi Eric the Red West locality Partial postcranial skeleton. A elasmarian ornithopod cf.Galleonosaurus G. dorisae Eric the Red West locality Maxillae A elasmarian ornithopod Leaellynasaura L. amicagraphica Dinosaur Cove, Eric the Red West locality Skull fragments, teeth, maxillae. Postcranial remains associated with the taxon cannot be confidently referred to it A elasmarian ornithopod
Theropods Theropods of the Eumeralla FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage cf. Australovenator cf. A. wintonensis Eric the Red West locality "two teeth, two manual unguals, and a right astragalus" A megaraptorid theropod Avialae Indet. Indeterminate Footprints belonging to a crane-sized bird, determined to be an ornithurine or enantiornithe. Possibly from a species also found at the Wonthaggi Formation (single furcula). Carcharodontosauria Indet. Indeterminate "Isolated, distal end of a right tibia" First probable record of carcharodontosaurian theropod in Australia Elaphrosaurinae Indet. Indeterminate Eric the Red West locality Single cervical vertebra Megaraptora Indet. Indeterminate Dinosaur Cove Known from a left ulna. Probably a megaraptorid. Previously referred to Megaraptor. Megaraptoridae Indet. Indeterminate Eric the Red West locality Known from a single cervical vertebra. Previously thought to be a Baryonyx-related spinosaurid. Timimus T. hermani Dinosaur Cove Femur A possible tyrannosauroid theropod Unenlagiinae Indet. Indeterminate Proximal portion of right femur Probable record of unenlagiine dromaeosaurid in Australia
Pterosaurs Pterosaurs of the Eumeralla FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Pterosauria Indet. Indeterminate Dinosaur Cove
Crocodylomorphs Crocodylomorphs of the Eumeralla FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Mesoeucrocodylia Indet. Indeterminate Dinosaur Cove Distinct from other known Australian crocodilians
Plesiosaurs Plesiosaurs of the Eumeralla FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Plesiosauria Indet. Indeterminate Dinosaur Cove
Turtles Turtles of the Eumeralla FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Otwayemys O. cunicularius Dinosaur Cove A meiolaniform turtle
Fish Fishes of the Eumeralla FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Ceratodus C. nargun A ceratodontid lungfish
Mammals Mammals of the Eumeralla FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Kryoryctes K. cadburyi Dinosaur Cove A kollikodontid monotreme Sundrius S. ziegleri A kollikodontid monotreme
See also List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations South Polar region of the Cretaceous
References