Phra Wihan Formation

The Early Cretaceous Phra Wihan Formation is the second lowest member of the Mesozoic Khorat Group which outcrops in Northeast Thailand.

Phra Wihan Formation
Stratigraphic range: Berriasian-Valanginian ~145–133.6 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Khorat Group
Underlies	Sao Khua Formation
Overlies	Phu Kradung Formation
Thickness	150 m (490 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone
Other	Siltstone, mudstone, conglomerate
Location
Coordinates	16.1°N 103.9°E / 16.1; 103.9
Approximate paleocoordinates	14.3°N 111.4°E / 14.3; 111.4
Region	Northeast Thailand (Khorat Basin)
Country	Thailand
Extent	Khorat Plateau
Type section
Named for	Khao Phra Wihan, an 11th-century Khmer Temple (Khao Phra Wihan National Park)
Named by	Ward & Bunnag
Year defined	1964
Phra Wihan Formation (Thailand)

Comprises fine- to coarse-grained sheet and channelled sandstone beds and rarer variegated siltstone and mudstone. Intermittent conglomerate beds.

Deposited in a fluvial environment dominated by high-energy, shallow braided rivers with subordinate lower energy meandering river systems and associated flood plains.

The Phra Wihan Formation is considered to be Berriasian-Valanginian in age based on palynological analysis.^[1][2][3]

Sauropod (fossil) tracks have been recorded from this formation.^[4]

See also

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
  • List of stratigraphic units with sauropodomorph tracks
    • Sauropod tracks

References

1. Suteetorn and Jarnyahran (1986). "Geological Map of Thailand." Sheet NE 48-14 1:250,000.
2. Racey and Goodall (2009). "Late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic Ecosystems in SE Asia". Geological Society. London. Special Publication 315 Pp 69-84.
3. Tucker, Ryan T.; Hyland, Ethan G.; Gates, Terry A.; King, M. Ryan; Roberts, Eric M.; Foley, Elliot K.; Berndt, David; Hanta, Rattanaphorn; Khansubha, Sasa-on; Aswasereelert, Wasinee; Zanno, Lindsay E. (September 2022). "Age, depositional history, and paleoclimatic setting of Early Cretaceous dinosaur assemblages from the Sao Khua Formation (Khorat Group), Thailand". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 601: 111107. Bibcode:2022PPP...60111107T. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111107. ISSN 0031-0182.
4. Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517-607.

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