Huriwai Measures Formation

The Huriwai Measures Formation is a geological formation in New Zealand, dating to the Late Jurassic (Tithonian).^[3]

Huriwai Measures Formation
Stratigraphic range: Tithonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Huriwai Group
Underlies	Matira Sandstone
Lithology
Primary	Breccia, conglomerates, and sandstone
Other	Coal
Location
Coordinates	37.390°S 174.729°E / -37.390; 174.729
Region	Waikato River
Country	New Zealand
Type section
Named by	Ferdinand von Hochstetter
Year defined	1864[1][2]

It is one of two geological formations in New Zealand where dinosaur fossils have been found, with the other being the Late Cretaceous-aged Tahora Formation.^[4]

History

Ferdinand von Hochstetter discovered the Huriwai Measures Formation during the Austrian Novara expedition to New Zealand in 1857, and he later described the formation in 1864.^[1][2]

Plant fossils were then identified from the formation by Purser (1961),^[3] and the first tetrapod fossil (specimen AU13802) was discovered in the formation in 1995. AU13802 was identified by Molnar, Wiffen & Hayes (1998) as a phalanx bone probably belonging to a theropod dinosaur,^[5] making it the first dinosaur fossil from the Jurassic to be discovered in New Zealand.

Description

Plant fossils found in the Huriwai Measures Formation suggest that it was a forested environment.^[6][5] Ballance & Campbell (1993) have also suggested it to have been a braided floodplain delta because the region was subject to volcanic ash falls from a distant volcano.^[7]

Fossil content

Flora

Plants recovered from the Huriwai Measures Formation include Cladophlebis, Equisetum, Taeniopteris, conifers, and liverworts.^[6][5]

Fauna

Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Image
Bivalvia[3]	Indeterminate				Believed to be nonmarine.[3]
Mollusca[3]	Indeterminate				Believed to be nonmarine.[3]
Theropoda?[5]	Indeterminate	Port Waikato		"Phalanx."	The bone is stained black, and possible coprolites have also been assigned to this species.[5] It is sometimes incorrectly referred to Compsognathidae.

See also

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
• South Polar region of the Cretaceous
• List of dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles of New Zealand