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Jiufotang Formation

Geological formation in Liaoning, China

Summary

Geological formation in Liaoning, China

Field	Value
name	Jiufotang Formation
type	Geological formation
age	Aptian
~
period	Aptian
prilithology	Mudstone
otherlithology	Sandstone
namedfor	Jiufotang, Pingfangzi, Liaoning
namedby	Ryuji Endo
year_ts	1934
region	Liaoning
country	China
coordinates
paleocoordinates
unitof	Jehol Group
subunits	Shangheshou & Meileyingzi Beds
underlies	Fuxin & Shahai Formations
overlies	Yixian Formation
map	{{Location map+	China#Liaoning
relief	1
width	250
float	center
lat_deg	41.2
lon_deg	119.4
mark	Green pog.svg
marksize	12

~ The Jiufotang Formation () is an Early Cretaceous geological formation in Chaoyang, Liaoning which has yielded fossils of feathered dinosaurs, primitive birds, pterosaurs, and other organisms (see Jehol Biota). It is a member of the Jehol group. The exact age of the Jiufotang has been debated for years, with estimates ranging from the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. New uranium-lead dates reveal the formation is deposited in the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous. Fossils of Microraptor and Jeholornis are from the Jiufotang.

Fossil content

Choristoderans

Genus	Species	Notes
Philydrosaurus	P. proseilus	Monjurosuchid
Ikechosaurus	I. pijiagouensis	Simoedosaurid
Liaoxisaurus	L. chaoyangensis	Simoedosaurid
Hyphalosaurus	H. baitaigouensis	Hyphalosaurid

Fish

Genus	Species	County	Member	Notes	Images
Caeruleum	last1=Huang	first1=Weijia	date=2023-09-01	title=A new species of fossil lamprey (Petromyzontida: Petromyzontiformes) from Hebei, China	journal=Historical Biology	volume=36	issue=11	language=en	pages=2255–2267	doi=10.1080/08912963.2023.2252443	issn=0891-2963}}''	Weichang		A lamprey	[[File:Caeruleum Size Comparison.svg	center	150x150px]]
last1=Huang	first1=Weijia	last2=Ma	first2=Zhiheng	last3=Fu	first3=Lihong	last4=Guo	first4=Shilong	date=2024-01-14	title=A new species of lamprey from Cretaceous semisaline environment in China	journal=Historical Biology	volume=37	issue=2	language=en	pages=384–390	doi=10.1080/08912963.2024.2303350	issn=0891-2963}}	Weichang	A lamprey
last1=Guo	first1=Xinyu	date=September 2022	title=河北围场地区发现早白垩世七鳃鳗化石	trans-title=Discovery of Early Cretaceous fossil lampreys from Weichang area, Hebei Province, China	url=https://qikan.cqvip.com/Qikan/Article/Detail?id=7108252978	journal=Journal of Geology	volume=46	issue=3	pages=260–265	doi=10.3969/j.issn.1674-3636.2022.03.006}}	H. weichangensis	Weichang		A lamprey	[[File:Hebeimyzon Size Comparison.svg	center	150x150px]]
Jinanichthys	J. longicephalus			An osteoglossomorph
Lycoptera	L. davidi			An osteoglossomorph	[[File:Lycoptera reconstruction.jpg	center	150px]]
Peipiaosteus	P. pani			A fish related to sturgeons
Protopsephurus	P. liui			A paddlefish
Sinamia	S. zdanskyi			An amiiform	[[File:Sinamia.JPG	center	150px]]

Mammaliamorphs

Several mammaliamorph specimens have been found from the Jiufotang, but only a few have been formally described and named.

Genus	Species	County	Member	Material	Notes
Cokotherium	last1=Wang	first1=Hai-Bing	last2=Hoffmann	first2=Simone	last3=Wang	first3=Dian-Can	last4=Wang	first4=Yuan-Qing	date=7 February 2022	title=A new mammal from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Biota and implications for eutherian evolution	journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B	volume=377	issue=1847	article-number=20210042	doi=10.1098/rstb.2021.0042	doi-access=free	pmid=35125007	pmc=8819371 }}''	Partial skeleton	A eutherian
Fossiomanus	F. sinensis			A nearly complete skeleton	A tritylodontid cynodont, likely the youngest known non-mammalian synapsid
Liaoconodon	L. hui			A nearly complete skeleton	A eutriconodont
Unnamed mammal	Unnamed			Partial remains including a foot and fragments of the skull	A mammal similar to Eomaia and Sinodelphys from the Yixian Formation. Found as stomach contents of Microraptor zhaoianus.

Ornithischians

Genus	Species	Locality	County	Member	Material	Notes	Images
			Liaoning		A nearly complete skeleton missing only the distal portion of the caudal series.
last1=周	first1=长付	last2=刘	first2=晴	last3=王	first3=鑫悦	last4=张	first4=洪钢	date=2022	title=辽西建昌早白垩世九佛堂组甲龙类化石的首次发现	url=http://kns.cnki.net/kcms/detail/detail.aspx?doi=10.16452/j.cnki.sdkjzk.2022.03.001	journal=山东科技大学学报(自然科学版)	volume=41	issue=3	pages=1–7	doi=10.16452/j.cnki.sdkjzk.2022.03.001	issn=1672-3767}}	L. paradoxus	Baicaigou locality	Liaoning		A nearly complete, articulated skeleton	A basal ankylosaurid.

Pterosaurs

Genus	Species	County	Material	Notes	Images
				A chaoyangopterid
				A boreopterid
Forfexopterus	F. jeholensis			A ctenochasmatid
				A ctenochasmatid
Guidraco
Hongshanopterus	H. lacustris			An istiodactylid
Huaxiadraco	H. corollatus		Multiple specimens	A tapejarid
Ikrandraco
				A chaoyangopterid
				An istiodactylid
Meilifeilong	M. youhao	Jianchang	A nearly complete skeleton and a partial skull	last1=Wang	first1=Xiaolin	last2=Kellner	first2=Alexander W. A.	last3=Jiang	first3=Shunxing	last4=Chen	first4=He	last5=Costa	first5=Fabiana R.	last6=Cheng	first6=Xin	last7=Zhang	first7=Xinjun	last8=Nova	first8=Bruno C. Vila	last9=de Almeida Campos	first9=Diogenes	last10=Sayão	first10=Juliana M.	last11=Rodrigues	first11=Taissa	last12=Bantim	first12=Renan A. M.	last13=Saraiva	first13=Antônio A. F.	last14=Zhou	first14=Zhonghe	date=2023-12-21	title=A new toothless pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota with comments on the Chaoyangopteridae	journal=Scientific Reports	language=en	volume=13	issue=1	page=22642	doi=10.1038/s41598-023-48076-7	issn=2045-2322	doi-access=free	pmid=38129429	pmc=10739979	bibcode=2023NatSR..1322642W }}
				An istiodactylid
Pangupterus	P. liui			A pterodactyloid
S. sanyainus			A chaoyangopterid

Saurischians

Skeletal and dental remains are known, the latter was assigned to an indeterminate titanosauriform.

Enantiornithines

Genus	Species	County	Member	Material	Notes	Images
Brevirostruavis	B. macrohyoideus			"an extremely elongate bony hyoid element (only slightly shorter than the skull), combined with a short cranial rostrum."	An enantiornithine
last1=Wang	first1=Xiaoli	last2=Clark	first2=Alexander D.	last3=O'Connor	first3=Jingmai K.	last4=Zhang	first4=Xiangyu	last5=Wang	first5=Xing	last6=Zheng	first6=Xiaoting	last7=Zhou	first7=Zhonghe	date=2024-02-27	title=First Edentulous Enantiornithine (Aves: Ornithothoraces) from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Avifauna	url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667124000405	journal=Cretaceous Research	volume=159	issue=in press	article-number=105867	doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105867	bibcode=2024CrRes.15905867W	issn=0195-6671	url-access=subscription }}	I. attenboroughi	Jianchang		An articulated, nearly complete specimen
Musivavis	M. amabilis			last1=Wang	first1=Xuri	last2=Cau	first2=Andrea	last3=Luo	first3=Xiaoling	last4=Kundrát	first4=Martin	last5=Wu	first5=Wensheng	last6=Ju	first6=Shubin	last7=Guo	first7=Zhen	last8=Liu	first8=Yichuan	last9=Ji	first9=Qiang	date=2022-02-11	title=A new bohaiornithid-like bird from the Lower Cretaceous of China fills a gap in enantiornithine disparity	journal=Journal of Paleontology	volume=96	issue=4	language=en	pages=961–976	doi=10.1017/jpa.2022.12	s2cid=247432530	issn=0022-3360	doi-access=free	bibcode=2022JPal...96..961W }}	An euenantiornithean

Euornithines

Genus	Species	County	Member	Material	Notes	Images
				Multiple complete, articulated skeletons
last1=Huang	first1=Jiandong	last2=Wang	first2=Xuri	last3=Cau	first3=Andrea	last4=Mao	first4=Lei	last5=Liu	first5=Yichuan	last6=Wang	first6=Yang	date=September 26, 2025	title=A new euornithine from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) of China reveals the first radiation of fish-eating birds	journal=Cretaceous Research	volume=179	article-number=106244	doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106244	issue=in press	issn=0195-6671	doi-access=free}}	K. anhuimusei	Jianchang	A nearly complete and articulated skeleton	A piscivorous euornithean
				A near complete skeleton
				A complete skeleton

Non-ornithothoracean theropods

A large theropod tooth representing a distinct taxon from Sinotyrannus is known.

Genus	Species	County	Member	Material	Notes	Images
author1=Min Wang	author2=Xiaoli Wang	author3=Yan Wang	author4=Zhonghe Zhou	year=2016	title=A new basal bird from China with implications for morphological diversity in early birds	journal=Scientific Reports	volume=6	article-number=19700	doi=10.1038/srep19700	pmid=26806355	pmc=4726217	bibcode=2016NatSR...619700W }}	C. zhengi			A partial skeleton with preserved soft tissues	A jinguofortisid avialan	[[Image:Confuciusornis sanctus mmartyniuk.png	thumb	center	[[Confuciusornis sanctus]]]]
last1=Li	first1=Zhiheng	last2=Wang	first2=Min	last3=Stidham	first3=Thomas A.	last4=Zhou	first4=Zhonghe	date=2023-01-02	title=Decoupling the skull and skeleton in a Cretaceous bird with unique appendicular morphologies	url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-022-01921-w	journal=Nature Ecology & Evolution	volume=7	issue=1	language=en	pages=20–31	doi=10.1038/s41559-022-01921-w	pmid=36593291	bibcode=2023NatEE...7...20L	s2cid=255472056	issn=2397-334X	url-access=subscription }}	C. zhui	Jianchang	A complete skeleton with preserved feathers	A jinguofortisid avialan
				A dromaeosaurid.
Wulong	W. bohaiensis	Chaoyang, Liaoning		Complete articulated skeleton (D2933).	A dromaeosaurid

Crustaceans

Genus	Species	County	Member	Material	Notes	Images
Eosestheria	Eosestheria middendorfii				A clam shrimp

Plants

Genus	Species	Notes
Czekanowskia	C. rigida	A member of Czekanowskiales, Dominant
Ginkgo	G. digitata	A member of Ginkgoales
Elatocladus	E. pinnatus	Conifer foliage
Pityolepis	P. ovatus	Conifer cone
Leptostrobus	L. sinensis	A member of Czekanowksiales, occasionally misspelled "Leptosthrobus"
Baiera	B. valida	A member of Ginkgoales
B. cf. gracilis
Ginkgoites	G. trancata	A member of Ginkgoales, dominant
G. trancatus
Podozamites	P. sp.	Conifer foliage
Sphenopteris	S. sp.	Seed plant foliage

References

Endo, R.. (1934). "Geology and mineral resources of Manchuria". Sanseido.
(2021-12-01). "New geochronological constraints for the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in Jianchang Basin, NE China, and their implications for the late Jehol Biota". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.
(2004). "Timing of the Jiufotang Formation (Jehol Group) in Liaoning, northeastern China, and its implications". Geophysical Research Letters.
(2024). "Discovery of the choristodere ''Hyphalosaurus baitaigouensis'' from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of western Liaoning, China and its paleobiogeographic significance". Journal of Palaeogeography.
(2023-09-01). "A new species of fossil lamprey (Petromyzontida: Petromyzontiformes) from Hebei, China". Historical Biology.
(2024-01-14). "A new species of lamprey from Cretaceous semisaline environment in China". [[Historical Biology]].
(September 2022). "河北围场地区发现早白垩世七鳃鳗化石". Journal of Geology.
(7 February 2022). "A new mammal from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Biota and implications for eutherian evolution". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.
(2021). "Fossoriality and evolutionary development in two Cretaceous mammaliamorphs". Nature.
(2011). "Transitional mammalian middle ear from a new Cretaceous Jehol eutriconodont". Nature.
(2014). "A New Basal Ankylosaurid (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province, China". PLOS ONE.
(2022). "辽西建昌早白垩世九佛堂组甲龙类化石的首次发现". 山东科技大学学报(自然科学版).
"Table 22.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 479.
(2006). "Pterosaur assemblages of the Jehol Biota and their implication for the Early Cretaceous pterosaur radiation". Geological Journal.
(2023). "A taxonomic revision of the ''Sinopterus'' complex (Pterosauria, Tapejaridae) from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota, with the new genus ''Huaxiadraco''". PeerJ.
(2015). "A new toothed pteranodontoid (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) from the Jiufotang Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Aptian) of China and comments on ''Liaoningopterus'' gui ''Wang'' and Zhou, 2003". Historical Biology.
(2023-12-21). "A new toothless pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota with comments on the Chaoyangopteridae". [[Scientific Reports]].
(2023-05-22). "A new species of chaoyangopterid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous in western Liaoning, People's Republic of China".
(20 February 2025). "Dinosaur teeth from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of western Liaoning, China". PeerJ.
Li, L., Hu, D.-Y., Duan, Y., Gong, E.-P. and Hou, L.-H. (2007). "Alethoalaornithidae fam. nov., a new family of enantiornithine bird from the Lower Cretaceous of western Liaoning." ''Acta Palaeontologica Sinica'', '''46'''(3): 365-372. (http://www.cqvip.com/qk/90074X/200703/25642898.html) [in Chinese]
"Table 11.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 212.
(2021). "Novel evolution of a hyper-elongated tongue in a Cretaceous enantiornithine from China and the evolution of the hyolingual apparatus and feeding in birds". Journal of Anatomy.
(2010). "A reassessment of ''Sinornis santensis'' and ''Cathayornis yandica'' (Aves: Enantiornithes)". Records of the Australian Museum.
(2024-02-27). "First Edentulous Enantiornithine (Aves: Ornithothoraces) from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Avifauna". [[Cretaceous Research]].
(2022-02-11). "A new bohaiornithid-like bird from the Lower Cretaceous of China fills a gap in enantiornithine disparity". Journal of Paleontology.
"Table 11.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 214.
(2008). "''Enantiophoenix electrophyla'' gen. et sp. nov. (Aves, Enantiornithes) from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of Lebanon and its phylogenetic relationships". Atti della Societa Italiana di Scienze Naturali e del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale in Milano.
(June 2021). "A reassessment of ''Iteravis huchzermeyeri'' and ''Gansus zheni'' from the Jehol Biota in western Liaoning". China Geology.
(2018). "The earliest evidence for a supraorbital salt gland in dinosaurs in new Early Cretaceous ornithurines". [[Scientific Reports]].
(September 26, 2025). "A new euornithine from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) of China reveals the first radiation of fish-eating birds". [[Cretaceous Research]].
Li, Li. (2011). "A new ornithurine bird (Hongshanornithidae) from the Jiufotang Formation of Chaoyang, Liaoning, China". Vertebrata PalAsiatica.
(2024-09-24). "A new gansuid bird (Avialae, Euornithes) from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Jiufotang Formation of Jianchang, western Liaoning, China". [[Cretaceous Research]].
(2016). "A new basal bird from China with implications for morphological diversity in early birds". Scientific Reports.
(2023-01-02). "Decoupling the skull and skeleton in a Cretaceous bird with unique appendicular morphologies". Nature Ecology & Evolution.
(2010). "Basal birds from China: a brief review". Chinese Birds.
(2012). "A new species of ''Jeholornis'' with complete caudal integument". Historical Biology.
(2020). "A new jeholornithiform exhibits the earliest appearance of the fused sternum and pelvis in the evolution of avialan dinosaurs". Journal of Asian Earth Sciences.
(2006). "Non-Avian dinosaur fossils from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Group of western Liaoning, China". Geological Journal.
"Table 10.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 198.
"Table 11.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 216.
(2010). "A new sapeornithid bird from China and its implication for early avian evolution". Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition).
(2009). "First large tyrannosauroid theropod from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota in northeastern China". Geological Bulletin of China.
(2020-01-15). "A new microraptorine theropod from the Jehol Biota and growth in early dromaeosaurids". The Anatomical Record.
Shao, J. D., Tan, Q., Wang, H., Zhang, M., & He, H. Y. (2011). The Mesozoic strata and the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary in the Daxinganling Region. ''Geology and Resources'', ''20''(1), 4-11.
Pan, Y. Q., Gao, F. L., Zhang, G. R., Wang, X., & Wu, Z. J. (2015). New discovery of phytolith from Jiufotang formation in Xiaotaizi area, Liaoning Province. ''Geol Resources'', ''24'', 87-92.

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