From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base
Kirtland Formation
Geological formation in New Mexico and Colorado, United States
Summary
Geological formation in New Mexico and Colorado, United States
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| name | Kirtland Formation | |
| image | File:Kirtland Formation.jpg | |
| caption | Kirtland Formation at its type location south of Kirtland, New Mexico | |
| type | Geological formation | |
| age | Campanian (typically Kirtlandian) | |
| period | Campanian | |
| prilithology | Sandstone | |
| otherlithology | Shale, mudstone, conglomerate | |
| namedfor | Kirtland Post Office | |
| namedby | C.M. Bauer | |
| year_ts | 1916 | |
| region | New Mexico | |
| country | United States | |
| coordinates | ||
| paleocoordinates | ||
| subunits | Hunter Wash, Farmington and De-na-zin Members | |
| underlies | Ojo Alamo Formation | |
| overlies | Fruitland Formation | |
| thickness | 594 m | |
| extent | San Juan Basin | |
| map | {{Location map+ | United States#New Mexico |
| relief | 1 | |
| width | 250 | |
| float | center | |
| lat_deg | 36.708 | |
| lon_deg | -108.350 | |
| mark | Lightgreen pog.svg | |
| marksize | 12 |
The Kirtland Formation (originally the Kirtland Shale) is a sedimentary geological formation.
Description
The Kirtland Formation is the product of alluvial muds and overbank sand deposits from the many channels draining the coastal plain that existed on the inland seashore of North America, in the late Cretaceous period. It overlies the Fruitland Formation. It is found in the San Juan Basin in the states of New Mexico and Colorado, in the United States of America.
The base of the Kirtland Formation and its lowest sub-unit, the Hunter Wash Member, has been dated to 75.02 ± 0.13 Ma. Together with the upper part of the underlying Fruitland Formation, this contains fossils representing the Hunter Wash local fauna. The border between the Hunter Wash Member and overlying Farmington Member dates to approximately 74 million years ago. The top of the Farmington Member and bottom of the overlying De-na-zin Member has been radiometrically dated to 73.83 ± 0.18 Ma ago. The top of the De-na-zin Member, which contains the Willow Wash local fauna, has been dated to 73.49 ± 0.25 Ma ago.
Overlying the De-na-zin Member is a unit called the Naashoibito Member. This has often been considered to be part of the Kirtland formation, but more recently has been transferred back to the overlying Ojo Alamo Formation, which it had originally been part of.
History of investigation
The formation was named by C.M. Bauer in 1916 for exposures near the Kirtland Post Office.
Stratigraphy
Main article: San Juan Basin#Stratigraphy
Vertebrate paleofauna
Dinosaurs
Ornithischians
Ankylosaurids
| Ankylosaurids reported from the Kirtland Formation | Genus | Species | Member | Material | Notes | Images | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. minor | A partial girdle, scapulocoracoids, humerus, proximal portion of the radius, cervical and/or dorsal vertebrae, complete and fragmentary thoracic osteoderms, and other unidentifiable postcranial fragments. | An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid part of the Hunter Wash Member. | [[File:Ahshislepelta LM.png | thumb | center | 250px | [[Ahshislepelta]]]] | ||||||||
| Nodocephalosaurus | last=Sullivan | first=R. | date=1999 | title=Nodocephalosaurus kirtlandensis, gen et sp nov., a new ankylosaurid dinosaur (Ornithischia; Ankylosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous Kirtland Formation (Upper Campanian), San Juan Basin, New Mexico | journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology | volume=19 | issue=1 | pages=126–139 | doi=10.1080/02724634.1999.10011128 | bibcode=1999JVPal..19..126S }} | A partial skull. | An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid that has cranial ornamentation similar to Akainacephalus, an ankylosaur from the Kaiparowits Formation. | |||
| Z. sanjuanensis | A complete skull, [two] first cervical half-rings, fragmentary second cervical half ring, and numerous fragmentary osteoderms. | An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid closely related to Scolosaurus. |
Ceratopsians
| Ceratopsians reported from the Kirtland Formation | Genus | Species | Member | Material | Notes | Images | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vauthors=Dalman SG, Jasinski SE, Lucas SG | title=A new chasmosaurine ceratopsid from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) Farmington Member of the Kirtland Formation, New Mexico | year=2022 | journal=New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin | volume=90 | pages=127–153 | url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362680358}} | B. froeseorum | A nearly complete skull. | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid, originally identified as a specimen of Pentaceratops. | [[File:Bisticeratops Life Reconstruction.png | thumb | center | 170px | [[Bisticeratops]]]][[File:Pentaceratops BW.jpg | thumb | center | 170px | [[Pentaceratops]]]] | ||
| Navajoceratops | N. sullivani | A parietal, squamosal fragments, fused jugal\epijugal and other unidentified cranial fragments. | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid that has been hypothesized to form an anagenetic series with several other chasmosaur species, including Terminocavus. | |||||||||||||||||
| P. fenestratus | A near-complete skull. | Holotype considered undiagnostic. May be the same as Navajoceratops or Terminocavus. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Terminocavus | last1=Fowler | first1=D.W. | last2=Freedman Fowler | first2=E.A. | title=Transitional evolutionary forms in chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaurs: evidence from the Campanian of New Mexico | journal=PeerJ | date=2020 | volume=8 | article-number=e9251 | pmid=32547873 | doi=10.7717/peerj.9251 | pmc=7278894 | doi-access=free }} | A parietal, partial squamosal, jugal, epijugal, partial quadratojugal, partial sacrum and vertebral fragments. | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid that has been hypothesized to form an anagenetic series with several other chasmosaur species, including Navajoceratops. | |||||
| Titanoceratops | T. ouranos | A partial skull, syncervical vertebrae, cervical vertebrae, dorsal vertebrae, sacral vertebrae, caudal vertebrae, ribs, humeri, radius, femora, tibiae, fibula, ilia, ischia, and ossified tendons. | Possibly represents a junior synonym of Pentaceratops, holotype may possibly have come from the Fruitland Formation. |
Pachycephalosaurids
| Pachycephalosaurids reported from the Kirtland Formation | Genus | Species | Member | Material | Notes | Images | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sphaerotholus | author2=Carr Thomas D. | author1=Williamson Thomas E. | year = 2002 | title = A new genus of highly derived pachycephalosaurian from western North America | doi = 10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0779:angodp]2.0.co;2 | journal = Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology | volume = 22 | issue = 4 | pages = 779–801 | s2cid=86112901 }} | A partial skull lacking the facial and palatal elements. | A pachycephalosaurine pachycephalosaurid. | [[File:Stegoceras' in environment.jpg | thumb | center | 170px | [[Stegoceras]]]][[File:Sphaerotholus.png | thumb | center | 150px | [[Sphaerotholus]]]] | ||
| Stegoceras | author1=Steven E. Jasinski | author2=Robert M. Sullivan | year=2011 | title=Re-evaluation of pachycephalosaurids from the Fruitland-Kirtland transition (Kirtlandian, late Campanian), San Juan Basin, New Mexico, with a description of a new species of Stegoceras and a reassessment of Texascephale langstoni | url=http://www.robertmsullivanphd.com/uploads/164._Jasinski_and_Sullivan__Stegoceras__COLOR.pdf | journal=Fossil Record 3. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin | volume=53 | pages=202–215 }} | An incomplete parietal. | A basal pachycephalosaurid also known from the upper Fruitland Formation. |
Ornithopods
| Ornithopods reported from the Kirtland Formation | Genus | Species | Member | Material | Notes | Images | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. wimani | A partial skull and mandible, three cervical vertebrae | A kritosaurin hadrosaurid from the Hunter Wash Member. Several isolated bones and a partial skeleton from the same strata may also belong to this taxon | [[File:Ahshislesaurus wimani.png | thumb | center | 250px | [[Ahshislesaurus]]]][[File:Anasazisaurus horneri.png | thumb | center | 250px | [[Anasazisaurus]]]][[File:Kritosaurus navajovius.png | thumb | center | 170px | [[Kritosaurus]]]] | |||||||
| A. horneri | An incomplete skull consisting of premaxillae, nasals, maxilla, lacrimal, jugal, prefrontal, postorbital, squamosal, frontal, parietal, and fragment of dentary with teeth. | A kritosaurin hadrosaurid from the Farmington Member. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Kritosaurus | K. navajovius | [Two] incomplete skulls, an atlas, axis and cervical vertebrae. | A kritosaurin hadrosaurid also known from the Cerro del Pueblo Formation of Mexico. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Naashoibitosaurus | N.ostromi | A skull lacking the premaxillae and mandible, a partial humerus, cervical vertebrae and dorsal vertebrae. | A kritosaurin hadrosaurid, distinct from Kritosaurus. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Parasaurolophus | P. tubicen | [Two] incomplete and fragmentary skulls. | A lambeosaurine hadrosaurid known from partial cranial remains. | |||||||||||||||||||
| P. cyrtocristatus | Partial skull and nearly complete skeleton, partial juvenile skull. | last1=Gates | first1=Terry A. | last2=Evans | first2=David C. | last3=Sertich | first3=Joseph J. W. | date=2021-01-25 | title=Description and rediagnosis of the crested hadrosaurid (Ornithopoda) dinosaur Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus on the basis of new cranial remains | journal=PeerJ | language=en | volume=9 | article-number=e10669 | doi=10.7717/peerj.10669 | pmid=33552721 | pmc=7842145 | issn=2167-8359 | doi-access=free}} |
Saurischians
| Saurischians of the Kirtland Formation | Genus | Species | Member | Material | Notes | Images | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specimens actually from the Naashoibito member of the Ojo Alamo Formation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Remains are now referred to Bistahieversor, although these remains may possibly have come from the Fruitland Formation. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bistahieversor | B. sealeyi | An articulated skull and undescribed postcranial skeleton of an adult individual, and an incomplete skull and postcranial skeleton of a juvenile individual. | A eutyrannosaur tyrannosauroid also known from the Fruitland Formation. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| last1=Funston | first1=G. F. | last2=Williamson | first2=T. E. | last3=Brusatte | first3=S. L. | year=2024 | title=A caenagnathid tibia (Theropoda: Oviraptorosauria) from the upper Campanian Kirtland Formation of New Mexico | journal=Cretaceous Research | volume=158 | at=105856 | issue=in press | doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105856 | bibcode=2024CrRes.15805856F | doi-access=free }} | Indeterminate | A nearly complete right tibia | Indeterminate caenagnathid remains. | ||||||||||
| Remains are now referred to Bistahieversor, although these remains may possibly have come from the Fruitland Formation. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dromaeosauridae | Indeterminate | Numerous isolated teeth. | Indeterminate dromaeosaurid remains. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ornithomimidae | Indeterminate | A distal end of a phalanx, and [two] partial manual unguals. | Indeterminate ornithomimid remains. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Saurornitholestes | S. sullivani | A nearly complete frontal. | A saurornitholestine dromaeosaurid, sister taxa to Saurornitholestes langstoni. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| last=Rivera-Sylva | first=Hector E. | last2=Aguillón-Martinez | first2=Martha C. | last3=Flores-Ventura | first3=Jose | last4=Sánchez-Uribe | first4=Ivan E. | last5=Guzman-Gutierrez | first5=Jose Ruben | last6=Longrich | first6=Nicholas R. | date=January 9, 2026 | title=A thick-skulled troodontid theropod from the Late Cretaceous of Mexico | journal=Diversity | language=en | volume=18 | issue=1 | pages=38 | doi=10.3390/d18010038 | issn=1424-2818 | doi-access=free}} | X.? robustus | A nearly complete frontal. | Originally assigned to Saurornitholestes, subsequently recognized as a troodontid, and tentatively assigned to the genus Xenovenator. | |||
| cf. Struthiomimus | cf. S. altus | A centrum of a dorsal vertebra, distal portion of a metatarsal, and proximal phalanx. | Indeterminate remains that may belong to Struthiomimus altus. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tyrannosauridae | last1=Lucas | first1=Spencer G. | last2=Mateer | first2=Niall J. | last3=Hunt | first3=Adrian P. | last4=O'Neill | first4=F. Michael | title=The Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary in the San Juan and Raton Basins, New Mexico and Colorado | year=1987 | chapter=Dinosaurs, the age of the Fruitland and Kirtland Formations, and the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the San Juan Basin, New Mexico | pages=35–50 | doi=10.1130/SPE209-p35 | isbn=978-0-8137-2209-2 | chapter-url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/342/chapter/3796215/Dinosaurs-the-age-of-the-Fruitland-and-Kirtland}} | A partial skeleton, dentary, metatarsal, and numerous teeth. | Indeterminate tyrannosaurid material. |
Pterosaurs
| Pterosaurs of the Kirtland Formation | Genus | Species | Location | Member | Abundance | Notes | Images |
|---|
Crurotarsans
| Crurotarsans of the Kirtland Formation | Genus | Species | Location | Member | Abundance | Notes | Images |
|---|
Turtles
| Turtles of the Kirtland Formation | Genus | Species | Location | Member | Abundance | Notes | Images |
|---|
Bony fish
| Bony fishes of the Kirtland Formation | Genus | Species | Location | Member | Abundance | Notes |
|---|
Cartilaginous fish
| Cartilaginous fish of the Kirtland Formation | Genus | Species | Location | Member | Abundance | Notes |
|---|
References
Bibliography
References
- Sullivan, R.. (1999). "''Nodocephalosaurus kirtlandensis'', gen et sp nov., a new ankylosaurid dinosaur (Ornithischia; Ankylosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous Kirtland Formation (Upper Campanian), San Juan Basin, New Mexico". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
- (2018). "A new southern Laramidian ankylosaurid, ''Akainacephalus johnsoni'' gen. et sp. nov., from the upper Campanian Kaiparowits Formation of southern Utah, USA". PeerJ.
- (2022). "A new chasmosaurine ceratopsid from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) Farmington Member of the Kirtland Formation, New Mexico". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin.
- (2020). "Transitional evolutionary forms in chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaurs: evidence from the Campanian of New Mexico". PeerJ.
- Longrich, N.R.. (2011). "''Titanoceratops ouranos'', a giant horned dinosaur from the Late Campanian of New Mexico". Cretaceous Research.
- (2002). "A new genus of highly derived pachycephalosaurian from western North America". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
- (2011). "Re-evaluation of pachycephalosaurids from the Fruitland-Kirtland transition (Kirtlandian, late Campanian), San Juan Basin, New Mexico, with a description of a new species of ''Stegoceras'' and a reassessment of ''Texascephale langstoni''". Fossil Record 3. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin.
- (September 2025). "A new saurolophine hadrosaurid (Ornithischia: Hadrosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) Hunter Wash Member, Kirtland Formation, San Juan Basin, New Mexico". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin.
- Prieto-Márquez, A.. (2013). "Skeletal morphology of ''Kritosaurus navajovius'' (Dinosauria:Hadrosauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of the North American south-west, with an evaluation of the phylogenetic systematics and biogeography of Kritosaurini". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.
- (2021-01-25). "Description and rediagnosis of the crested hadrosaurid (Ornithopoda) dinosaur Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus on the basis of new cranial remains". PeerJ.
- (2024). "A caenagnathid tibia (Theropoda: Oviraptorosauria) from the upper Campanian Kirtland Formation of New Mexico". [[Cretaceous Research]].
- Rivera-Sylva, Hector E.. (January 9, 2026). "A thick-skulled troodontid theropod from the Late Cretaceous of Mexico". Diversity.
- (1987). "The Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary in the San Juan and Raton Basins, New Mexico and Colorado".
Wikipedia Source
This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.
Ask Mako anything about Kirtland Formation — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.
Research with MakoFree with your Surf account
Create a free account to save articles, ask Mako questions, and organize your research.
Sign up free
Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.
Report