Balabansai Formation Explained

Balabansai Formation
Type:Geological formation
Age:Bathonian-Callovian
~
Period:Bathonian
Prilithology:Sandstone, siltstone, claystone
Otherlithology:Gravel, marl
Region:Ongtustik Qazaqstan oblysy, Jalal-Abad Region
Country: Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Uzbekistan
Coordinates:41.3°N 72.1°W
Paleocoordinates:40.9°N 76.2°W
Underlies:Hodzhiabad Formation[1]
Cretaceous red beds
Overlies:Igrysai Svita
Thickness:Up to 250m (820feet)

The Balabansai Formation (sometimes transcribed Balabansay,[1] also known as Balabansai Svita) is a geological formation in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan whose strata date back to the Bathonian and Callovian stages of the Middle Jurassic. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[2] The lithology primarily consists of variegated sandstones, siltstones, claystones, and rare gravels and marls.[3] Many taxa have been found in the formation, including amphibians[4] and mammals.[5]

Vertebrate paleofauna

Indeterminate Avialae remains located in Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy, Kazakhstan.

Fish

Fish of the Balabansai Formation
GenusSpeciesPresenceNotes
FerganamiaF. verziliniA bowfin
FerganoceratodusF. jurassicusA lungfish
PalaeobatesP. verziliniAn elasmobranch
PolyacrodusP. balabansaiensis, P. prodigialisA hybodont

Amphibians

Amphibians of the Balabansai Formation
GenusSpeciesPresenceNotes
Ferganobatrachus[6] F. riabininiTemnospondyl
KokartusK. honorariusSalamander

Turtles

Turtles of the Balabansai Formation
GenusSpeciesPresenceNotes
ToxocheloidesT. narynensis
XinjiangchelysX. tianshanensis, X. latimarginalisXinjiangchelydae

Lizards

Lizards of the Balabansai Formation
GenusSpeciesPresenceNotes
Changetisaurus C. estesiRelative of Dorsetisaurus
Indeterminate

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotes
PraeornisP. sharoviGeographically located in Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy, Kazakhstan.
Alpkarakush[7] A. kyrgyzicusJalal-Abad Oblast, KyrgyzstanA partial skeleton including skull bones, partial pectoral and pelvic girdles, dorsal and sacral vertebrae, and most of the hindlimbsA metriacanthosaurid theropod
Ferganasaurus[8] F. verziliniLocated within KyrgyzstanBasal sauropod
FerganocephaleF. adenticulatumLocated within KyrgyzstanDubious taxon, Neornithischia indet.
Neosauropoda indet.Family, genus and species indeterminateKyrgyzstanA heavily worn tooth, the apex of a tooth crown, a left metatarsal I, and a right manual phalanx
Tetanurae indet.Family, genus and species indeterminateKyrgyzstanDozens of teeth
Stegosauria indet.[9] Family, genus and species indeterminateKyrgyzstanFour posterior dorsal vertebraeMay be as old as Adratiklit. Remains not diagnostic, given nomen nudum "Ferganastegos" by Roman Ulansky.

Mammals

Mammals
GenusSpeciesPresenceNotes
FerganodonF. cf. naryensisA eutriconodont
ParitatodonIndeterminateA docodont or a shuotheriid
SimpsonodonIndeterminateA docodont, multiple species present
Tashkumyrodon[10] T. desideratusA docodont
AmphilestidaeIndeterminate
AmphitheriidaeIndeterminate
DocodontaIndeterminate
PaurodontidaeIndeterminate
TegotheriidaeIndeterminate
TinodontidaeIndeterminate
TriconodontidaeIndeterminate

Invertebrate paleofauna

Molluscs

GenusSpeciesPresenceNotes
Proparreysia[11] "P. thashkumyrica"A bivalve
Sulcatapex"S. chatkalica"A bivalve
Yeniella"Y. asiatica", "Y. sculpturata"A bivalve

Flora

Ferns

GenusSpeciesPresenceNotes
CladophlebisC. whitbiensis
ConiopterisC. furssenkoi, C. hymenophylloides

See also

Notes and References

  1. De Pelsmaeker. Elien. Jolivet. Marc. Laborde. Amandine. Poujol. Marc. Robin. Cécile. Zhimulev. Fedor I.. Nachtergaele. Simon. Glorie. Stijn. De Clercq. Shana. Batalev. Vladislav Yu.. De Grave. Johan. 2018. Source-to-sink dynamics in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan from the Jurassic to the Paleogene: Insights from sedimentological and detrital zircon U-Pb analyses. Gondwana Research. en. 54. 180–204. 10.1016/j.gr.2017.09.004. 2018GondR..54..180D . 1342-937X.
  2. Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Jurassic, Asia)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 550–552. .
  3. AVERIANOV. ALEXANDER O.. MARTIN. THOMAS. BAKIROV. AIZEK A.. January 2005. Pterosaur and dinosaur remains from the Middle Jurassic Balabansai Svita in the northern Fergana Depression, Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia). Palaeontology. en. 48. 1. 135–155. 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2004.00437.x. 2005Palgy..48..135A . 55249438 . 0031-0239. free.
  4. Skutschas. Pavel P.. 2013-10-01. Mesozoic salamanders and albanerpetontids of Middle Asia, Kazakhstan, and Siberia. Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments. en. 93. 4. 441–457. 10.1007/s12549-013-0126-8. 2013PdPe...93..441S . 140159226 . 1867-1594.
  5. Martin. Thomas. Averianov. Alexander O.. 2010-05-18. Mammals from the Middle Jurassic Balabansai Formation of the Fergana Depression, Kyrgyzstan. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. en. 30. 3. 855–871. 10.1080/02724631003758045. 2010JVPal..30..855M . 128716878 . 0272-4634.
  6. AVERIANOV. ALEXANDER O.. MARTIN. THOMAS. SKUTSCHAS. PAVEL P.. REZVYI. ANTON S.. BAKIROV. AIZEK A.. Amphibians from the Middle Jurassic Balabansai Svita in the Fergana Depression, Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia) . 2008-01-25. Palaeontology. en. 51. 2. 471–485. 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00748.x. 2008Palgy..51..471A . 0031-0239. free.
  7. Rauhut . Oliver W M . Bakirov . Aizek A . Wings . Oliver . Fernandes . Alexandra E . Hübner . Tom R . 2024-08-01 . A new theropod dinosaur from the Callovian Balabansai Formation of Kyrgyzstan . . en . 201 . 4 . 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae090 . 0024-4082.
  8. Alifanov. Vladimir R.. Averianov. Alexander O.. 2003-06-17. Ferganasaurus verzilini, gen. et sp. nov., a new neosauropod (Dinosauria, Saurischia, Sauropoda) from the Middle Jurassic of Fergana Valley, Kirghizia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. en. 23. 2. 358–372. 10.1671/0272-4634(2003)023[0358:fvgesn]2.0.co;2. 85902362 . 0272-4634.
  9. Averianov . A. O. . Bakirov . A. A. . Martin . T. . 2007 . First definitive stegosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan . Paläontologische Zeitschrift . 81 . 4 . 0031-0220 . 440–446 . 10.1007/BF02990255 . 2007PalZ...81..440A . 129163170 .
  10. Martin. Thomas. Averianov. Alexander O.. 2004-03-25. A new docodont (Mammalia) from the Middle Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan, central Asia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. en. 24. 1. 195–201. 10.1671/15. 2004JVPal..24..195M . 55118845 . 0272-4634.
  11. Book: Кузичкина, Ю. М. . Балабансайская Свита . . ru:Стратиграфический словарь СССР: Триас, Юра, Мелсборник . Stratigraphic Dictionary of the USSR: Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous . . Leningrad . 1979 . 49 . https://www.geokniga.org/bookfiles/geokniga-1979stratigraficheskijslovartriasjuramel.pdf .