The Upper Maleri Formation is a sedimentary rock formation found in Telangana, India. It is one of the formations of the Pranhita–Godavari Basin. It is of late Norian and possibly earliest Rhaetian ages (Late Triassic), and is notable for its fossils of early dinosaurs.
Fossil content
Dinosauriforms An unnamed guaibasaurid was present in the formation based on associated vertebrae, hip, and hindlimb material, specimens ISI R277. Two more indeterminate dinosauriform species are also known from the formation, based on specimens ISI R282 (a hip and three vertebrae) and ISI R284 (a right ilium similar to that of Nambalia roychowdhurii).
Dinosauriforms of the Upper Maleri FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Jaklapallisaurus J. assymetrica Telangana ISI R274, postcranial material An unaysaurid sauropodomorph; also found in the Lower Dharmaram Formation Nambalia N. roychowdhurii Telangana ISI R273, including partial postcrania of at least three individuals of different sizes found closely associated A basal bagualosaurian sauropodomorph Maleriraptor M. kuttyi Pranhita-Godavari Valley ISIR 282, partial sacral ribs, vertebrae, and pelvic girdle A herrerasaurian saurischian
Other amniotes Phytosaur fossils are known from the formation, including forms similar to Angistorhinus and Leptosuchus. Indeterminate aetosaurs and dicynodonts have also been reported.
Non-dinosaur Amniotes of the Upper Maleri FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Kranosaura K. kuttyi ISIR 269, a partial skull A dome-headed protopyknosian archosauriform; closely related to Triopticus primus from the Colorado City Formation of Texas. Primisuchus P. gillettei A leptosuchomorph mystriosuchine
Temnospondyls Temnospondyls of the Upper Maleri FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Compsocerops C. cosgriffi A chigutisaurid temnospondyl; also found in the Santa Maria Formation. Kuttycephalus K. triangularis A chigutisaurid temnospondyl
Fish Fishes of the Upper Maleri FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Ferganoceratodus F. hislopianus A ceratodontiform lungfish
Correlations The formation has been correlated with the Forest Sandstone of Africa, the lower Caturrita Formation of the Paraná Basin in Brazil, the upper Ischigualasto Formation and lower Los Colorados Formation of the Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin of Argentina, and the Chinle Formation of North America.
See also List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
References
Further reading