The Bushveld Sandstone is a geological formation dating to roughly between 201 and 189 million years ago and covering the Carnian to Norian stages. The Bushveld Sandstone is found in Transvaal, South Africa, and is a member of the Stormberg Group. As its name suggests, it consists mainly of sandstone. Fossils of the prosauropod dinosaur Massospondylus have been recovered from the Bushveld Sandstone.[1]

Bushveld Sandstone
Stratigraphic range: Hettangian-Sinemurian
~201–189 Ma
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofStormberg Group
Lithology
PrimarySandstone
Location
Coordinates22°48′S 29°18′E / 22.8°S 29.3°E / -22.8; 29.3
Approximate paleocoordinates37°54′S 4°42′E / 37.9°S 4.7°E / -37.9; 4.7
RegionMpumalanga, Limpopo
Country South Africa
Bushveld Sandstone is located in South Africa
Bushveld Sandstone
Bushveld Sandstone (South Africa)

The Bushveld Sandstone was thought to be Late Triassic age, but was considered to be temporally correlative to the Clarens Formation by Smith et al. (1993).[2]

Vertebrate fauna

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Dinosaur tracks are located in Transvaal.[1]

Dinosaurs
Genus Species Presence Notes Images
Gigantoscelus[1] G. molengraaffi[1] Geographically located in Transvaal.[1] Remains now considered to be of indeterminate prosauropod origin.[1] "Distal femur."[3]
Gryponyx[1] G. transvaalensis[1] Geographically located in Transvaal.[1] Remains now considered to be of indeterminate prosauropod origin.[1] "Ungual, distal metatarsal."[3]
Massospondylus[4] M. carinatus[4] Geographically located in Transvaal. Geochronologically located in Early Jurassic strata.[4]
 
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.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Triassic, Africa)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 528–529. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
  2. ^ Smith RMH, Eriksson PG, Botha WJ. A Review of the Stratigraphy and Sedimentary Environments of the Karoo-Aged Basins of Southern Africa. Journal of African Earth Sciences. 1993;16:143–169. doi: 10.1016/0899-5362(93)90164-L.
  3. ^ a b "Table 12.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 236.
  4. ^ a b c Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Early Jurassic, Africa)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 535–536. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.