The Zhuganpo Formation is a Triassic geologic unit found in southern China. It has historically been known as the Zhuganpo Member of the Falang Formation. A diverse fossil assemblage known as the Xingyi biota or Xingyi Fauna can be found in the upper part of the Zhuganpo Formation. Fossils of the Xingyi biota include articulated skeletons of marine reptiles, abundant fish, and a plentiful assortment of invertebrates indicating a Ladinian to Carnian age for the sediments of the formation.
Paleobiota
Invertebrates
Ammonites: Clionitites sp., Detoniceras sp., Haoceras xingyiense, Parasturia sp., Protrachyceras sp., Ptychites sp., Sinomeginoceras (S. wangi, S. xingyiense), Trachyceras sp., Xenoprotrachyceras cf. primum, Yangites densicostatus, Bivalves: Daonella sp. Conodonts: Gladigondolella malayensis, Metapolygnathus / Paragondolella / Quadralella (Q. aff. acuminatus, P. foliata, P. inclinata, Q. intermedius, Q. langdaiensis, P. maantangensis, P. navicula, M. nodosus, M. parafoliata, Q. aff. praelindae, P. polygnathiformis, Q. shijiangjunensis, Q. tadpole, Q. uniformis, Q. wanlanensis, Q. aff. wayaoensis, Q. yongueensis, Q. aff. zonneveldi) Crinoids: Traumatocrinus hsui Crustaceans ("shrimps"): Schimperella acanthocercus (Lophogastrida)
Fish
Acrolepidae indet. Archaesemionotus sp. aff. Arctacanthus sp. (Chimaeriformes?) Asialepidotus shingyiensis (Ionoscopiformes) Birgeria liui Caturidae indet. Eosemionotus sp. Favusodus orientalis (Euselachii) Fuyuanichthys wangi (Ginglymodi) Fuyuanperleidus dengi Guizhouamia bellula Guizhoubrachysomus minor Guizhoucoelacanthus guanlingensis Guizhouniscus microlepidus Habroichthys sp. Keichouodus nimaiguensis (Euselachii) Luganoia fortuna (Luganoiidae) Malingichthys (M. nimaiguensis, M. wanfendlinensis; Pholidophoridae) Marcopoloichthys sp. Peltopleurus (P. orientalis, P. tyrannos) Peripeltopleurus sp. (Wushaichthyidae) Pholidophoridae indet. Potanichthys xingyiensis (Thoracopteridae) Rosaodus xingyiensis (Elasmobranchii) Saurichthys sp. Sinoeugnathus kueichowensis Wushaichthys exquisitus (Wushaichthyidae) Xingyia gracilis
Reptiles
Reptiles of the Zhuganpo Formation Genus Species Notes ImagesAnshunsaurusA. huangnihensis An askeptosauroid thalattosaurA. wushaensis An askeptosauroid thalattosaurBrevicaudosaurusB. jiyangshanensisA small nothosaur with an unusually short torso and tailDiandongosuchusD. fuyuanensis A semiaquatic archosauriform, interpreted as a basal phytosaurDingxiaosaurusD. luyinensisA pistosauroid of uncertain validity. Previously believed to have been from the Yangliujing Formation.FuyuansaurusF. acutirostrisA "protorosaur" archosauromorph, possibly a tanystropheidGlyphodermaG. kangiA placochelyid placodontGuizhouichthyosaurusG. sp.A large predatory merriamosaurian ichthyosaurKeichousaurusK. huiA keichousaurid pachypleurosaurLariosaurusL. xingyiensisA small nothosaurLitorosuchusL. somniiA semiaquatic archosauriform related to Vancleavea campiMacrocnemusM. fuyuanensisA small basal tanystropheidNothosaurusN. youngiA large nothosaurQianichthyosaurusQ. xingyiensisA small toretocnemid ichthyosaurQianxisaurusQ. chajiangensisA basal eosauropterygian, possibly related to pachypleurosaurs or nothosaursTanystropheusT. cf. hydroidesA large tanystropheid, previously classified as T. cf. longobardicusT. sp.A small tanystropheid, previously classified as T. cf. longobardicusWangosaurusW. brevirostrisA pistosauroidXinpusaurusX. xingyiensisA thalattosauroid thalattosaurYunguisaurusY. liaeA pistosauroid
References