Upper Maleri Formation

See also: Lower Maleri Formation

The Upper Maleri Formation is a sedimentary rock formation found in Telangana, India. It is one of the formations of the Pranhita–Godavari Basin. It is of late Norian and possibly earliest Rhaetian ages (Late Triassic), and is notable for its fossils of early dinosaurs.

Upper Maleri Formation
Stratigraphic range: Norian ~220–211 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Gondwana Group
Underlies	Lower Dharmaram Formation
Overlies	Lower Maleri Formation
Location
Coordinates	19.3°N 79.5°E / 19.3; 79.5
Approximate paleocoordinates	33.1°S 36.4°E / -33.1; 36.4
Region	Telangana
Country	India
Extent	Pranhita–Godavari Basin
Upper Maleri Formation (India)

Paleobiota

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.

Dinosauriforms

An unnamed guaibasaurid was present in the formation based on associated vertebrae, hip, and hindlimb material, specimens ISI R277. Two more indeterminate dinosauriform species are also known from the formation, based on specimens ISI R282 (a hip and three vertebrae) and ISI R284 (a right ilium similar to that of Nambalia roychowdhurii). Material from the formation has also been referred to Herrerasauridae.^[1]

Dinosauriforms from the Upper Maleri Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Material	Notes	Images
Jaklapallisaurus[1]	J. assymetrica	Telangana	ISI R274, postcranial material[1]	An unaysaurid sauropodomorph, also found in the Lower Dharmaram Formation
Nambalia[1]	N. roychowdhurii	Telangana	ISI R273, including partial postcrania of at least three individuals of different sizes found closely associated[1]	A basal sauropodomorph
Maleriraptor[2]	M. kuttyi	Pranhita-Godavari Valley	ISIR 282, partial sacral ribs, vertebrae, and pelvic girdle[2]	A herrerasaurian

Other amniotes

Phytosaur fossils are known from the formation, including forms similar to Angistorhinus and Leptosuchus.^[3] Indeterminate aetosaurs and dicynodonts have also been reported.^[3]

Non-dinosaur amniotes from the Upper Maleri Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Kranosaura[3]	K. kuttyi	ISIR 269, a partial skull	A dome-headed protopyknosian archosauriform, related to Triopticus from the Colorado City Formation of Texas

Temnospondyls

Temnospondyls from the Upper Maleri Formation
Genus	Species	Notes	Images
Compsocerops[4]	C. cosgriffi[4]	A chigutisaurid also found in the Santa Maria Formation[5]
Kuttycephalus[4]	K. triangularis[4]	A chigutisaurid[5]

Correlations

The formation has been correlated with the Forest Sandstone of Africa, the lower Caturrita Formation of the Paraná Basin in Brazil, the upper Ischigualasto Formation and lower Los Colorados Formation of the Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin of Argentina, and the Chinle Formation of North America.^[1]

See also

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations