Bayan Mandahu Formation

"Wulansuhai Formation" redirects here. For the Turonian formation, see Ulansuhai Formation.

The Bayan Mandahu Formation (also known as Wulansuhai Formation or Wuliangsuhai Formation) is a geological unit of "redbeds" located near the village of Bayan Mandahu in Inner Mongolia, China, in the Gobi Desert. It dates from the late Cretaceous Period. Laid down in the Campanian, it is dated somewhat uncertainly to between 75 and 71 mya (million years ago).^[1]

Bayan Mandahu Formation
Stratigraphic range: Campanian, 75–71 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Gobi Desert
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone
Location
Coordinates	41.75N 106.75E
Region	Inner Mongolia
Country	China
Type section
Named for	Bayan Mandahu, Urad Rear Banner, Inner Mongolia

Description

The paleoenvironment it preserves was semi-arid and characterized by alluvial (stream-deposited) and eolian (wind-deposited) sediments. The formation is known for its vertebrate fossils, most of which are preserved in unstructured sandstone, indicating burial by wind-blown sandstorms.^[2]

Paleofauna of the Bayan Mandahu Formation

The fauna of the Bayan Mandahu is very similar in composition to the nearby Djadochta Formation, and the two may have been deposited at roughly the same time. These two formations share many of the same genera, but differ in the makeup of species. For example, the most common mammal in the Djadochta is Kryptobaatar dashzevegi, while in the Bayan Mandahu, it is the closely related Kryptobaatar mandahuensis. Similarly, the dinosaur fauna of the Djadochta includes Protoceratops andrewsi and Velociraptor mongoliensis, while the Bayan Mandahu contains Protoceratops hellenikorhinus and Velociraptor osmolskae.^[1]

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon		Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Crocodylomorphs

Crocodylomorphs of the Bayan Mandahu Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Shamosuchus[2]				A mesoeucrocodylian.

Lizards

An amphisbaenian species is known from the formation.^[2] An iguanian species is known from the formation.^[2]

Lizards of the Bayan Mandahu Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Adamisaurus[2]	A. magnidentatus[2]			An agamid.
Bainguis[2]				A diploglossan.
Telmasaurus[2]				A monitor lizard.

Turtles

Turtles of the Bayan Mandahu Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Basilemys[2]				A softshell turtle.
"Zangerlia"	"Z." neimongolensis	Bayan Mandahu	"Partial to complete skeletons of multiple individuals."[3]	A nanhsiungchelyid.

Mammals

A taeniolabidoidea multituberculate is known from the formation.^[2]

Mammals of the Bayan Mandahu Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Guibaatar[4]	G. castellanus			A djadochtatheriid multituberculate.
Kennalestes[2]	K. gobiensis[2]			A placental. Also present in the Djadochta Formation.
Kryptobaatar[1]	K. mandahuensis			A multituberculate.

Dinosaurs

Alvarezsaurs

Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Alvarezsauridae indet.[5]	Indeterminate[5]	Bayan Mandahu[5]	An articulated series of partial anterior cervical vertebrae, an anterior cervical vertebra, isolated fragmentary anterior caudal vertebrae, a partial scapula, and pedal phalanges.[5]	An unnamed parvicursorine alvarezsaurid.[5]
Linhenykus	L. monodactylus[6]	Wuliangsuhai [6]	Cervical vertebrae, dorsal vertebrae, sacral vertebrae, caudal vertebrae, a scapulocoracoid, a sternum, much of the forelimbs, a partial pelvis, nearly complete hindlimbs, and some unidentified fragments.[6]	A monodactyl parvicursorine alvarezsaurid.[6]

Ankylosaurs

Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Pinacosaurus	P. grangeri[7]	Bayan Mandahu[7]	[Four] juvenile specimens consisting of skulls, manidibles, cervical half-rings and almost complete skeletons, and an incomplete subadult skull.[7]	A basal ankylosaurine ankylosaurid also known from the Djadochta Formation.
	P. mephistocephalus[8]	Bayan Mandahu[8]	A nearly complete articulated skeleton, with in situ cervical dermal armour and tail-club, that lies in a natural with limb bones doubled under the body.[8]	A basal ankylosaurine ankylosaurid.

Birds

Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
cf. Gobipteryx	Indeterminate		"Eggs similar to those attributed to Gobipteryx minuta from the Djadochta Formation."[2]

Ceratopsians

Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Bagaceratops	B. rozhdestvenskyi	Bayan Mandahu	A partial skull.[9]	A protoceratopsid also known from the Barun Goyot Formation and possibly the Djadochta Formation.
Magnirostris[1]	M. dodsoni[1]	Bayan Mandahu[10]	A partial skull.	A protoceratopsid now considered synonym of Bagaceratops.[9]
Protoceratops	P. hellenikorhinus[11]	Bayan Mandahu[11]	Skulls and sparse body remains from multiple individuals.[12][11]	A protoceratopsid.
Udanoceratops?	Indeterminate	Bayan Mandahu	"Nearly 1 meter long skull."[2]	A giant leptoceratopsid. Reported remains probably represent Protoceratops hellenikorhinus.[13]

Dromaeosaurs

Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Linheraptor[14]	L. exquisitus[14]	Wuliangsuhai[14]	A skull, cervical vertebrae, caudal vertebrae, a scapula, a humerus, a radius, metacarpals, manual phalanxes, sternal plate, a pubis, a femur, a tibiotarsus, metatarsals, and pedal phalanxes.[14]	A possible velociraptorine dromaeosaurid.[14]
Velociraptor	V. osmolskae[15]	Bayan Mandahu[1]	A paired maxillae and left lacrimal.[1]	A velociraptorine dromaeosaurid.[1]

Hadrosaurs

Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Undescribed Hadrosauridae[10]	Indeterminate[10]	Bayan Mandahu[10]		A hadrosaurid.

Oviraptorosaurs

Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Machairasaurus	M. leptonychus[10]	Bayan Mandahu[10]	A nearly complete articulated right forearm and manus, pedal phalanges, manual phalanges, caudal vertebrae, dorsal ribs, chevrons, and fragments of metatarsals III and IV.[10]	A heyuanniine oviraptorid.[10]
Oviraptoridae indet.	Indeterminate	Bayan Mandahu	"Partial individual sitting atop an egg clutch."[16]	An oviraptorid that represent the second nesting oviraptorid. Sometimes referred to Machairasaurus.[10][17]
Wulatelong	W. gobiensis[18]	Wuliangsuhai[18]	A partial skull, dorsal vertebrae, caudal vertebrae, partial scapulocoracoids, a partial sternum, a partial humerus, an incomplete manus, a nearly complete pelvic girdle, and the right hindlimb.[18]	A basal oviraptorid oviraptorosaur.[18]

Sauropods

Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Undescribed Sauropoda[10]	Indeterminate[10]	Bayan Mandahu[10]		A sauropod.

Troodontids

Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Linhevenator[19]	L. tani[19]	Wuliangsuhai[19]	A skull and mandible, anterior dorsal vertebrae, middle dorsal vertebrae, a scapula, a humerus, incomplete ischia, a femur, nearly complete pes, and other fragmentary bones.[19]	A troodontid with short forearms.[19]
Papiliovenator	P. neimengguensis[20]	Bayan Mandahu[20]	An almost complete skull, cervical vertebrae, anterior dorsal vertebrae, partial scapulae, partial coracoid, fragmentary pelvic girdle, partial humeri, ulna, radius, partial manus, femur, tibia, fibula, pes, and a pedal phalanx II-3.[20]	A troodontid that is part of a clade that includes all other Late Cretaceous troodontids except Almas.[20]
Philovenator	P. curriei[21]	Wuliangsuhai[21]	A nearly complete femur, a partial tibia, a partial fibula, astragalus-calcaneum complex, distal tarsals, metatarsals, and pedal phalanges.[21]	A troodontid.[21]

Tyrannosaurs

Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Undescribed Tyrannosauridae[10]	Indeterminate[10]	Bayan Mandahu[10]		A tyrannosaurid.

See also

• China portal
• Paleontology portal

• Barun Goyot Formation
• List of fossil sites (with link directory)
• Nemegt Formation
• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations

References

1. Godefroit, Pascal; Currie, Philip J.; Li Hong; Shang Chang Yong; Dong Zhi-ming (2008). "A new species of Velociraptor (Dinosauria: Dromaeosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of northern China". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (2): 432–438. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[432:ANSOVD]2.0.CO;2.
2. Jerzykiewicz, T.; Currie, P. J.; Eberth, D. A.; Johnston, P. A.; Koster, E. H.; Zheng, J.-J. (1993). "Djadokhta Formation correlative strata in Chinese Inner Mongolia: an overview of the stratigraphy, sedimentary geology, and paleontology and comparisons with the type locality in the pre-Altai Gobi". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 30 (10): 2180−2195. Bibcode:1993CaJES..30.2180J. doi:10.1139/e93-190.
3. Brinkman, D. B.; Tong, H.-Y.; Li, H.; Sun, Y.; Zhang, J.-S.; Godefroit, P.; Zhang, Z.-M. (2015). "New exceptionally well-preserved specimens of "Zangerlia" neimongolensis from Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia, and their taxonomic significance". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 14 (6–7): 577−587. Bibcode:2015CRPal..14..577B. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2014.12.005.
4. John R. Wible; Sarah L. Shelley; Shundong Bi (2019). "New Genus and Species of Djadochtatheriid Multituberculate (Allotheria, Mammalia) from the Upper Cretaceous Bayan Mandahu Formation of Inner Mongolia". Annals of Carnegie Museum. 85 (4): 285–327. doi:10.2992/007.085.0401. S2CID 210840006.
5. Pittman, M.; Xu, X.; Stiegler, J. B. (2015). "The taxonomy of a new parvicursorine alvarezsauroid specimen IVPP V20341 (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous Wulansuhai Formation of Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia, China". PeerJ. 3: e986. doi:10.7717/peerj.986. PMC 4465946. PMID 26082871.
6. Xu, Xing; Sullivan, Corwin; Pittman, Michael; Choiniere, Jonah N.; Hone, David W.E.; Upchurch, Paul; Tan, Qingwei; Xiao, Dong; Lin, Tan; Han Fenglu (2011). "A monodactyl nonavian dinosaur and the complex evolution of the alvarezsauroid hand". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 108 (6): 2338–2342. Bibcode:2011PNAS..108.2338X. doi:10.1073/pnas.1011052108. PMC 3038769. PMID 21262806.
7. Burns, Michael; Arbour, Victoria; Sissons, Robin; Currie, Philip (2011). "Juvenile specimens of Pinacosaurus grangeri Gilmore, 1933 (Ornithischia: Ankylosauria) from the Late Cretaceous of China, with comments on the specific taxonomy of Pinacosaurus". Cretaceous Research. 32 (2011): 174–186. Bibcode:2011CrRes..32..174B. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2010.11.007.
8. Godefroit, P.; Pereda-Suberbiola, X.; Li, H.; Dong, Z. M. (1999). "A new species of the ankylosaurid dinosaur Pinacosaurus from the Late Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia (P.R. China)" (PDF). Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Sciences de la Terre. 69 (supp. B): 17–36.
9. Czepiński, Ł. (2019). "Ontogeny and variation of a protoceratopsid dinosaur Bagaceratops rozhdestvenskyi from the Late Cretaceous of the Gobi Desert" (PDF). Historical Biology. 32 (10): 1394–1421. doi:10.1080/08912963.2019.1593404. S2CID 132780322. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-08. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
10. Nicholas R. Longrich; Philip J. Currie; Dong Zhi-Ming (2010). "A new oviraptorid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia". Palaeontology. 53 (5): 945–960. Bibcode:2010Palgy..53..945L. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2010.00968.x.
11. Lambert, O.; Godefroit, P.; Li, H.; Shang, C.-Y.; Dong, Z. (2001). "A new Species of Protoceratops (Dinosauria, Neoceratopsia) from the Late Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia (P. R. China)" (PDF). Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Sciences de la Terre. 71: 5−28.
12. Chen X, Tan K, Lu L, Ji S (2022). "Occurrence of Protoceratops hellenikorhinus (Ceratopsia: Protoceratopsidae) in Alxa region, western Inner Mongolia, China". Acta Geologica Sinica. 96 (11): 3722–3732. doi:10.19762/j.cnki.dizhixuebao.2022302.
13. Czepiński, Ł. (2020). "New protoceratopsid specimens improve the age correlation of the Upper Cretaceous Gobi Desert strata" (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 65 (3): 481−497. doi:10.4202/app.00701.2019.
14. Xu, Xing; Choiniere, Jonah N.; Pittman, Michael; Tan, Qingwei; Xiao, Dong; Li, Zhiquan; Tan, Lin; Clark, James M.; Norell, Mark A.; Hone, David W. E.; Sullivan, Corwin (2010-03-19). "A new dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous Wulansuhai Formation of Inner Mongolia, China". Zootaxa. 2403 (1): 1–9. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2403.1.1. hdl:10722/154755. ISSN 1175-5334. S2CID 15665202.
15. Godefroit, Pascal; Currie, Philip J.; Li, Hong; Shang, Chang Yong; Dong, Zhi-ming (2008). "A new species of Velociraptor (Dinosauria: Dromaeosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of northern China". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (2): 432–438. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[432:ANSOVD]2.0.CO;2.
16. Dong, Z.; Currie, P. J. (1996). "On the discovery of an oviraptorid skeleton on a nest of eggs at Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 33 (4): 631−636. Bibcode:1996CaJES..33..631D. doi:10.1139/e96-046.
17. Fanti, F.; Currie, P. J.; Badamgarav, D.; Lalueza-Fox, C. (2012). "New specimens of Nemegtomaia from the Baruungoyot and Nemegt Formations (Late Cretaceous) of Mongolia". PLOS ONE. 7 (2): e31330. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...731330F. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031330. PMC 3275628. PMID 22347465.
18. Xu Xing; Tan Qing-Wei; Wang Shuo; Corwin Sullivan; David W. E. Hone; Han Feng-Lu; Ma Qing-Yu; Tan Lin & Xiao Dong (2013). "A new oviraptorid from the Upper Cretaceous of Nei Mongol, China, and its stratigraphic implications" (PDF). Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 51 (2): 85–101.
19. Xu, Xing; Tan, Qingwei; Sullivan, Corwin; Han, Fenglu; Xiao, Dong (2011-09-07). "A Short-Armed Troodontid Dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia and Its Implications for Troodontid Evolution". PLOS ONE. 6 (9): e22916. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...622916X. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0022916. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3168428. PMID 21915256.
20. Pei, R.; Qin, Yuying; Wen, Aishu; Zhao, Q.; Wang, Z.; Liu, Z.; Guo, W.; Liu, P.; Ye, W.; Wang, L.; Yin, Z.; Dai, R.; Xu, X. (2021). "A New Troodontid from the Upper Cretaceous Gobi Basin of Inner Mongolia, China". Cretaceous Research. 130: Article 105052. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105052. S2CID 244186762.
21. Xu Xing; Zhao Ji; Corwin Sullivan; Tan Qing-Wei; Martin Sander; Ma Qing-Yu (2012). "The taxonomy of the troodontid IVPP V 10597 reconsidered" (PDF). Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 50 (2): 140–150.

Bibliography

• Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; Osmólska, Halszka (2004), The Dinosauria, 2nd edition, Berkeley: University of California Press, pp. 1–880, ISBN 0-520-24209-2, retrieved 2019-02-21