Dengying Formation

The Dengying Formation is an upper Ediacaran (551-541 Ma^[2]) fossiliferous geologic formation found in South China. It was deposited on a shallow marine carbonate platform.^[3]

Dengying Formation
Stratigraphic range: Ediacaran ~551–541 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Transition between uppermost Doushantuo Formation and lowermost Dengying Formation
Type	Formation
Sub-units	See: Members
Underlies	Yanjiahe Formation[1]
Overlies	Doushantuo Formation
Location
Region	Yangtze Gorges
Country	China

Members

Listed by ascending age:

• The Hamajing Member is characterized by light grey, medium- to thick-bedded dolomite, intercalated with thin layers of chert.^[3]
• The Shibantan Member is interpreted to represent a subtidal environment and is composed of dark grey, thin-bedded bituminous limestone. It is the most fossiliferous of the Dengying Formation members and has yielded several trace fossils, such as Lamonte,^[4] as well as possible lobopodian trackways. ^[5]
• The Baimatuo Member consists of light grey, thick-bedded dolomite.^[3]

Traditionally, the Tianzhushan Member was considered to be the uppermost unit of the Dengying Formation. However, its small shelly fossils and Micrhystridium-like acritarchs are a shared characteristic with the Cambrian Yanjiahe Formation.^[3]

Genera

• Alienum
• Cloudina
• Lobodiscus
• Palaeorhopalon
• Paracharnia
• Shufangtubulus
• Sinotubulites
• Wutubus
• Yangtziramulus
• Yilingia

Ichnogenera

• Helminthoidichnites
• Lamonte
• Torrowangea

See also

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in China
• Ediacaran biota