Qiupa Formation

The Qiupa Formation (Chinese: 秋扒组; pinyin: Qiūpázǔ) is a Late Cretaceous Maastrichtian geologic formation in Henan Province, central China. It is rich in dinosaur eggs and bones, such as those of carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs. The Qiupa Formation is considered to be Late Maastrichtian in age, about 72 million and 66 million years ago.^[1][2][3]

Qiupa Formation
Stratigraphic range: Maastrichtian ~72–66 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Characteristic red brownish siltstones of the Qiupa Formation
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Tantou Group
Underlies	Gaoyugou Formation
Overlies	Shitaijie Formation
Lithology
Primary	Mudstone, siltstone
Other	Sandstone, conglomerate
Location
Coordinates	33.9°N 111.8°E / 33.9; 111.8
Approximate paleocoordinates	31.6°N 102.8°E / 31.6; 102.8
Region	Henan Province
Country	China
Extent	Tantou Basin
Type section
Named for	Qiupa
Qiupa Formation (China) Show map of China Qiupa Formation (Henan) Show map of Henan

Geology

The sedimentation is characterized for the presence of calcareous mudstone interbedded with thin fine conglomerates, brownish red thick-bedded siltstone and parallel and cross laminations. This sedimentation indicates habitats composed by large and shallow meanders with braided river deltas.^[2][3]

Fossil content

The Qiupa Formation has yielded numerous dinosaur fossils, particularly eggs. The remains of various theropods such as troodontids, dromaeosaurids and oviraptorosaurs have been found. In addition, indeterminate remains of sauropods, ornithopods, ankylosaurs, lizards, turtles and a possible avian bone are reported.^[4][2]

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs of the Qiupa Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Ankylosauridae indet.[5]	Indeterminate	"A tooth, well-preserved dorsal vertebra, incomplete dorsal rib and ischium."	An ankylosaurid
Elongatoolithidae sp.[6]	Indeterminate	"145 egg shells probably laid by oviraptorids."	Oviraptorid eggs
Luanchuanraptor[7]	L. henanensis	"Teeth, a frontal and fragmented postcrania."	A dromaeosaurid
Qiupalong[8]	Q. henanensis	Partial skeleton preserving the pelvis and the right hindlimb.	An ornithomimid
Qiupanykus[3]	Q. zhangi	Partial skeleton with vertebrae and hindlimbs.	An alvarezsaurid
"Tyrannosaurus"[9]	T. luanchuanensis	Five teeth.	A tyrannosaurid
Yulong[10][11]	Y. mini	Many juvenile specimens and one subadult skeleton.	An oviraptorid
Yuornis[12]	Y. junchangi	Partial skeleton.	An enantiornithine bird

Mammals

Mammals of the Qiupa Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Lotheridium[13]	L. mengi	Nearly complete skull with jaws.	A deltatheridiid
Yubaatar[14]	Y. zhongyuanensis	"Virtually complete crania and fragmented poscrania."	A cimolodont

Squamates

Squamates of the Qiupa Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Funiusaurus[15]	F. luanchuanensis	Partial skull.	A polyglyphanodont
Tianyusaurus[16]	T. zhengi	Skull and shoulder girdle.	A polyglyphanodont
Zhongyuanxi[17]	Z. jiai	Partial skull.	A stem-varanid anguimorph

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.