The Haifanggou Formation (simplified Chinese: 海房沟组; traditional Chinese: 海房溝組; pinyin: Hǎifánggōu zǔ), also known as the Jiulongshan Formation (simplified Chinese: 九龙山组; traditional Chinese: 九龍山組; pinyin: Jiǔlóngshān zǔ), is a fossil-bearing rock deposit located near Daohugou (simplified Chinese: 道虎沟; traditional Chinese: 道虎溝) village of Ningcheng County, in Inner Mongolia, northeastern China.

Haifanggou Formation
Stratigraphic range: Callovian-Oxfordian
~165–160 Ma
TypeGeological formation
UnderliesTiaojishan Formation
OverliesBeipiao Formation
(Separated by an unconformity)
Lithology
PrimaryConglomerate
OtherSandstone, mudstone, shale, coal
Location
Coordinates41°48′N 120°48′E / 41.8°N 120.8°E / 41.8; 120.8
Approximate paleocoordinates44°30′N 126°00′E / 44.5°N 126.0°E / 44.5; 126.0
RegionInner Mongolia
Country China
Type section
Named forHaifanggou
Named byLiaoning Stratigraphic Group
Year defined1978
Haifanggou Formation is located in China
Haifanggou Formation
Haifanggou Formation (China)
Haifanggou Formation is located in Inner Mongolia
Haifanggou Formation
Haifanggou Formation (Inner Mongolia)

The formation consists of coarse conglomerates, sandstone, mudstone, and thin coal layers deposited in deltaic and lacustrine environments.

The formation dates to the Callovian of the Middle Jurassic to the Oxfordian of the Late Jurassic.[1]

The most prominent locality of the Haifanggou Formation are the Daohugou Beds, located near the village of Daohugou in southeastern Inner Mongolia.[2] Other localities include Wuhuaxigou, Chentaizi, Jiangzhangzi, Wubaiding, Guancaishan, Haifenggou, Fanzhangzi, and Zhuanshanzi.[3]

Dating

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Daohugou bed

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The age of the Daohugou bed has been debated, and a number of studies, using different methodologies, have reached conflicting conclusions. Various papers have placed the fossils here as being anywhere from the Middle Jurassic period (169 million years ago) to the Early Cretaceous period (122 ma).[4] One of the first studies on the age of the Daohugou beds, published in 2004 by He et al., found them to be Early Cretaceous, only a few million years older than the overlying Jehol beds of the Yixian Formation.[5] The 2004 study primarily used Argon–argon dating of a tuff within the Daohugou Beds to determine its age.

However, subsequent studies cast doubt on this relatively recent age. In a 2006 study, Gao & Ren criticized He et al. for not including enough specifics and detail in their paper, and also took issue with their radiometric dating of the Daohugou tuff. The tuff, Gao and Ren argued, contains crystals with a variety of diverse radiometric ages, some up to a billion years old, so using dates from only a few of these crystals could not determine the overall age of the deposits. Gao and Ren went on to defend a Middle Jurassic age for the beds based on biostratigraphy (the use of index fossils), and the bed's relationship to a layer that is known to mark the Middle Jurassic-Late Jurassic boundary.[6]

Another study, published in 2006 by Wang et al., argued that the 159-164 million years old Tiaojishan Formation underlies, rather than overlies, the Daohugou Beds. Unlike the earlier study by Gao and Ren, Wang et al. found an overall similarity between the fossil animals found in the Daohugou Beds and those from the Yixian Formation. The authors stated that

"vertebrate fossils such as Liaoxitriton, Jeholopterus and feathered maniraptorans show much resemblance to those of the Yixian Formation. In other words, despite the absence of Lycoptera, a typical fish of the Jehol Biota, the Daohugou vertebrate assemblage is closer to that of the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota than to any other biota."

Wang et al. concluded that the Daohugou probably represents the earliest evolutionary stages of the Jehol Biota, and that it "belongs to the same cycle of volcanism and sedimentation as the Yixian Formation of the Jehol Group."[7] However, a later study by Ji et al. argued that the key indicator of the Jehol biota are the index fossils Peipiaosteus and Lycoptera. Under this definition, the earliest evolutionary stage of the Jehol Biota is represented by the Huajiying Formation, and the Daohugou Formation is excluded due to the absence of Lycoptera fossils.[8] Later in 2006, Liu et al. published their own study of the age of the Daohugou beds, this time using Zircon Uranium-lead dating on the volcanic rocks overlying and underlying salamander-bearing layers (salamanders are often used as index fossils). Liu et al. found that the beds formed between 164 and 158 million years ago, in the Middle to Late Jurassic.[1][9] A 2012 study by Gao and Shubin agreed with this assessment, and reported an Argon–argon date of 164 plus or minus 4 million years ago for the Daohugou horizon.[10]

Animal fossil content

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Arthropods

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At least 760 insect species have been described from the Haifanggou Formation and associated deposits, making it one of the most diverse insect-bearing strata from the Jurassic period.[11]

Insects
Genus Species Year Abundance Notes Images
Ahirmoneura A. neimengguensis[12] 2008 A tangle-veined fly
 
Juracimbrophlebia

 
Mongolarachne
Aneuroderma A. oiodes[13] 2021 2 specimens An earwig
Applanatiforceps A. angustus[14] 2023 3 specimens An earwig
Archaboilus A. musicus[15] 2012 1 specimen A stem-katydid
Ekpagloderma E. gracilentum[14] 2023 1 specimen An earwig
Formosibittacus F. macularis[16] 2008 1 specimen A hangingfly
Fortiholcorpa F. paradoxa[17] 2013 1 specimen A Mecopteran
Juracimbrophlebia J. ginkgofolia[18] 2012 1 specimen A hangingfly
Jurahylobittacus J. astictus[16] 2008 1 specimen A hangingfly
Mesobunus M. dunlopi[19] 2012 1 specimen A harvestman
Miriholcorpa M. forcipata[17] 2013 1 specimen A Mecopteran
Mongolarachne M. jurassica[20] 2011 A spider
Mongolbittacus M. daohugoensis[21] 2007 1 specimen A hangingfly
Pseudomantina P. baijuyii[22] 2023 A cockroach
Pycnopolystoechotes P. striatus[23] 2023 A lacewing
Sinojuraphis S. ningchengensis[24] 2008 An aphid
Sinopalaeodermata S. concavum[13] 2021 1 specimen An earwig
Stictopolystoechotes S. sparsulus[23] 2023 A lacewing

Vertebrates

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Based largely on.[25]

Genus Species Year Notes Images
Chunerpeton[26] C. tianyiensis 2003 A salamander  
Jeholotriton J. paradoxus A salamander
Neimengtriton N. daohugouensis A salamander
Pangerpeton P. sinensis A salamander
 
Jeholopterus J. ningchengensis An anurognathid pterosaur
 
Liaodactylus J. ningchengensis A ctenochasmid pterosaur
 
Pterorhynchus P. wellnhoferi A darwinopteran pterosaur
 
Daohugoupterus D. delicatus A pterosaur
Pedopenna P. daohugouensis A maniraptoran dinosaur
 
Epidexipteryx hui A scansoriopterygid dinosaur
 
Epidendrosaurus ningchengensis
 
Volaticotherium V. antiquum A gliding eutriconodont mammal
 
Castorocauda[27] C. lutrasimilis 2006 An aquatic docodont mammaliaform  
Microdocodon M. gracilis A docodont mammaliaform
Agilodocodon A, scansorius A docodont mammaliaform
 
Megaconus M. mammaliaformis A possible allotherian mammal
 
Mirusodens[28] M. caii an arboreal/climbing euharamiyidan mammal/mammaliaform
Pseudotribos P. robustus A shuotheriid mammaliaform
 
Liaosteus[29] L. hongi 1995 A peipiaosteid fish
Yanliaomyzon[30] Y. ingensdentes 2023 A lamprey  

Flora

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Fossil plants
Genus Species State Abundance Notes Images
Coniopteris C. bella[31] Liaoning A fern
C. burejensis[31] Liaoning A fern
Sequoia S. jeholensis[32] Ningcheng The earliest known redwood tree
Schmeissneria S. sinensis[33] Liaoning Uncertain plant originally described as angiosperm.[34]
Xingxueanthus X. sinensis[35] Liaoning Uncertain plant originally described as angiosperm.[36]
Euanthus E. panii Liaoning[37] Uncertain plant originally described as angiosperm.[34]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Liu, Yongqing; Liu, Yanxue; Ji, S.; Yang, Z. (2006). "U-Pb zircon age for the Daohugou Biota at Ningcheng of Inner Mongolia and comments on related issues". Chinese Science Bulletin. 51 (21): 2634–2644. Bibcode:2006ChSBu..51.2634L. doi:10.1007/s11434-006-2165-2. S2CID 96442710.
  2. ^ Huang, D.; Cai, C.; Jiang, J.; Su, Y.; Liao, H. (2015). 道虎沟化石层及其底部砾岩段化石记录 [Dahugou bed and fossil record of its basal conglomerate section]. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica (in Chinese (China)). 54 (3): 75–81. ISSN 0001-6616.
  3. ^ Xu, Xing; Zhou, Zhonghe; Sullivan, Corwin; Wang, Yuan; Ren, Dong (2016). "An Updated Review of the Middle-Late Jurassic Yanliao Biota: Chronology, Taphonomy, Paleontology and Paleoecology". Acta Geologica Sinica - English Edition. 90 (6): 2229–2243. Bibcode:2016AcGlS..90.2229X. doi:10.1111/1755-6724.13033. ISSN 1755-6724. S2CID 133314433.
  4. ^ Ren, D.; et al. (2002). "On the biostratigraphy of the Jurassic fossil beds at Daohugou near Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia". Geol. Bull. China. 21: 584–591.
  5. ^ He, H.; Wang, X.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, R.; Jin, F.; Wang, F.; Ding, X.; Boven, A. (2004). "(^40)Ar/(^39)Ar dating of ignimbrite from Inner Mongolia, northeastern China, indicates a post-Middle Jurassic age for the overlying Daohugou Beds". Geophysical Research Letters. 31 (20): L20609. Bibcode:2004GeoRL..3120609H. doi:10.1029/2004gl020792.
  6. ^ Gao, K.; Ren, D. (2006). "Radiometric dating of ignimbrite from Inner Mongolia provides no indication of a post-Middle Jurassic age for the Daohugou Beds". Acta Geologica Sinica - English Edition. 80 (1): 42–45. Bibcode:2006AcGlS..80...42G. doi:10.1111/j.1755-6724.2006.tb00793.x. S2CID 140588867.
  7. ^ Wang, Y; et al. (2006). "Biodiversity and palaeoclimate of the Middle Jurassic floras from the Tiaojishan Formation in western Liaoning, China". Progress in Natural Science. 16 (S1): 222–30. doi:10.1080/10020070612330087A (inactive 1 November 2024).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
  8. ^ Jin, F.; Zhang, F.C.; Li, Z.H.; Zhang, J.Y.; Li, C.; Zhou, Z.H. (2008). "On the horizon of Protopteryx and the early vertebrate fossil assemblages of the Jehol Biota". Chinese Science Bulletin. 53 (18): 2820–2827. Bibcode:2008SciBu..53.2820J. doi:10.1007/s11434-008-0209-5. S2CID 133507763.
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  17. ^ a b Wang, Qi; Shih, Chungkun; Ren, Dong; Carrier, David (2013). "The Earliest Case of Extreme Sexual Display with Exaggerated Male Organs by Two Middle Jurassic Mecopterans". PLoS ONE. 8 (8): e71378. Bibcode:2013PLoSO...871378W. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0071378. PMC 3743757. PMID 23977031.
  18. ^ Wang, Yongjie; Labandeira, Conrad C.; Shih, Chungkun; Ding, Qiaoling; Wang, Chen; Zhao, Yunyun; Ren, Dong (2012-12-11). "Jurassic mimicry between a hangingfly and a ginkgo from China". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 109 (50): 20514–20519. Bibcode:2012PNAS..10920514W. doi:10.1073/pnas.1205517109. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 3528590. PMID 23184994.
  19. ^ Giribet, G., et al., 2012. An exquisitely preserved harvestman (Arthropoda, Arachnida, Opiliones) from the Middle Jurassic of China. Organisms, Diversity & Evolution, 12, p.51-56.
  20. ^ Selden, Paul A.; Shih, ChungKun; Ren, Dong (2011-10-23). "A golden orb-weaver spider (Araneae: Nephilidae: Nephila) from the Middle Jurassic of China". Biology Letters. 7 (5): 775–778. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2011.0228. ISSN 1744-9561. PMC 3169061. PMID 21508021.
  21. ^ Petrulevicius, J. F.; Huang, D-Y.; Ren, D. (2007). "A new hangingfly (Insecta: Mecoptera: Bittacidae) from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China" (PDF). African Invertebrates. 48 (1): 145–152. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-21. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  22. ^ Liang, Junhui; Wang, Ying; Shih, Chungkun; Ren, Dong (2023-01-02). "A new Middle Jurassic cockroach (Blattaria: Blattulidae) from the Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou in China". Biologia. 78 (6): 1429–1432. Bibcode:2023Biolg..78.1429L. doi:10.1007/s11756-022-01300-7. ISSN 1336-9563. S2CID 255378643.
  23. ^ a b Gao, Wei; Xu, Yifan; Shih, Chungkun; Ren, Dong; Wang, Yongjie (2023-06-18). "Two new genera of giant lacewings (Insecta, Neuroptera, Ithonidae) from the Middle Jurassic of China". Historical Biology. 36 (8): 1672–1676. doi:10.1080/08912963.2023.2224377. ISSN 0891-2963.
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Further reading

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  • Liaoning Stratigraphic Group. 1978. The Stratigraphic Tables of Liaoning. Geology Press 1-296