The Qiupa Formation () is a Late Cretaceous Maastrichtian geologic formation in Henan Province, central China. It is rich in dinosaur eggs and bones, such as those of carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs. The Qiupa Formation is considered to be Late Maastrichtian in age, about 72 million and 66 million years ago.
Geology The sedimentation is characterized for the presence of calcareous mudstone interbedded with thin fine conglomerates, brownish red thick-bedded siltstone and parallel and cross laminations. This sedimentation indicates habitats composed by large and shallow meanders with braided river deltas.
Fossil content The Qiupa Formation has yielded numerous dinosaur fossils, particularly eggs. The remains of various theropods such as troodontids, dromaeosaurids and oviraptorosaurs have been found. In addition, indeterminate remains of sauropods, ornithopods, ankylosaurs, lizards, turtles and a possible avian bone are reported. Therizinosaurids Protoceratopsids, and medium sized sauropods are also known from the Qiupa Formation
Dinosaurs
Ornithischians Ornithischians of the Qiupa FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Ankylosauridae indet. Indeterminate Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian A tooth, a well-preserved dorsal vertebra, an incomplete dorsal rib, and an ischium. A ankylosaurid ankylosaur
Theropods Theropods of the Qiupa FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Luanchuanraptor L. henanensis Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian Teeth, a frontal, and fragmented postcrania. A velociraptorine dromaeosaurid Macroolithus M. yaotunensis Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian One partial clutch containing eight complete eggs and numerous fragments. An elongatoolithid, most likely laid by Yulong mini. Qiupalong Q. henanensis Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian Partial skeleton preserving the pelvis and the right hindlimb. A ornithomimid ornithomimosaur Qiupanykus Q. zhangi Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian Partial skeleton with vertebrae and hindlimbs. A parvicursorine alvarezsaurid "Tyrannosaurus" T. luanchuanensis Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian Five teeth. A tyrannosaurine tyrannosaurid; junior synonymous with Tarbosaurus bataar. Yulong Y. mini Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian Many juvenile specimens and one subadult skeleton. A oviraptorid oviraptorosaur Yuornis Y. junchangi Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian Partial skeleton. A enantiornithinean bird
Squamates Squamates of the Qiupa FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Funiusaurus F. luanchuanensis Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian Several cranial and postcranial remains. A polyglyphanodontian lizard Tianyusaurus T. zhengi Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian Skull and shoulder girdle. A polyglyphanodontian lizard Zhongyuanxi Z. jiai Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian Partial skull. A paleoanguimorphan anguimorph
Mammals Mammals of the Qiupa FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Lotheridium L. mengi Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian Nearly complete skull with jaws. A deltatheroidan metatherian Yubaatar Y. zhongyuanensis Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian "Virtually complete crania and fragmented poscrania". A taeniolabidoid multituberculate
Oofossils Oofossils of the Qiupa FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImage Elongatoolithidae sp. Indeterminate Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian 145 egg shells Oviraptorid eggs Macroolithus M. yaotunensis Luanchuan County, Henan Province, China Maastrichtian Egg clutch Oviraptorid eggs
References