Elliot Formation

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Elliot Formation
Stratigraphic range: Norian-Pliensbachian
~220–190 Ma
Elliot Formation caves in the Matalane Valley, Leribe, Lesotho
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofStormberg Group
Sub-unitsUpper Elliot, Lower Elliot
UnderliesClarens Formation
OverliesMolteno Formation
Thicknessup to 500 m (1,600 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryMudstone, sandstone
OtherSiltstone, conglomerate
Location
Coordinates30°30′S 27°24′E / 30.5°S 27.4°E / -30.5; 27.4
Approximate paleocoordinates44°06′S 1°54′W / 44.1°S 1.9°W / -44.1; -1.9
RegionEastern Cape, Free State, Mafeteng, Maseru, Quthing, Qacha's Nek & Mohale's Hoek
Country Lesotho
 South Africa
Type section
Named forElliot, Eastern Cape
Elliot Formation is located in South Africa
Elliot Formation
Elliot Formation (South Africa)

The Elliot Formation is a geological formation and forms part of the Stormberg Group, the uppermost geological group that comprises the greater Karoo Supergroup. Outcrops of the Elliot Formation have been found in the northern Eastern Cape, southern Free State, and in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. Outcrops and exposures are also found in several localities in Lesotho such as Qacha's Neck, Hill Top, Quthing, and near the capital, Maseru. The Elliot Formation is further divided into the lower (LEF) and upper (UEF) Elliot formations to differentiate significant sedimentological differences between these layers. The LEF is dominantly Late Triassic (Norian-Hettangian) in age while the UEF is mainly Early Jurassic (Sinemurian-Pliensbachian) and is tentatively regarded to preserve a continental record of the Triassic-Jurassic boundary in southern Africa.[1] This geological formation is named after the town of Elliot in the Eastern Cape, and its stratotype locality is located on the Barkly Pass, 9 km north of the town.[2][3][4]

Geology[edit]

The Elliot Formation unconformably overlies the Molteno Formation and is conformably overlain by the Clarens Formation. Due to the reddish colour of the rocks, the Elliot Formation is colloquially referred to as the “Red Beds” in older geologic literature.

The Elliot Formation is dominated by mudstones and siltstones that can be finely laminated. However, the internal structures in the mudstones are often not visible due to locally poor laminations. Calcareous nodules are also found in the mudstone layers and become more frequent up section into the UEF. The mudstones range in colour from greyish purple red in the LEF and turn a more brick red colour with more mature palaeosols in the UEF. Localized intraformational pebble conglomerates that comprise intrabasinal clasts that comprise mud chips, quartzite pebbles, pedogenic nodules, and fossil bone fragments only occur in the UEF. The lower and upper Elliot formations both contain sandstones but they vary in their internal geometries. The sandstones of the LEF mainly comprise laterally accreting channel deposits that are multi-story and contain trough, low angle, and planar, cross-bedding. Ripple cross laminations with good horizontal lamination are also present. In the UEF, sandstone beds are single story and mainly reflect downstream accretion channel geometries and are more tabular in appearance. Common internal sedimentary structures of UEF sandstones are planar, low angle cross-bedding, horizontal and ripple-cross laminations.

The LEF was deposited in a fluvio-lacustrine environment where rivers were more perennial and formed meandering channel geometries, as evidenced by the presence of lateral accretion. However, this depositional environment changed at the onset of the UEF deposits where evidence of shallower river channels, longer periods of floodplain stasis (mature palaeosols) and flash flood events (pedogenic nodule conglomerates) shows that the climate became more arid.[5][6][7][8]

Correlation[edit]

The Elliot Formation is currently considered to correlate chronostratigraphically with geological formations of the Bodibeng Sandstone of the Tuli Basin in Botswana, the Omingonde Formation of the Etjo Basin in Namibia, and the Chinle Formation of the Colorado Plateau in Utah, United States.[9][10][11][12][13][14]

Paleontology[edit]

The Elliot Formation is well known for its diverse dinosaur fossils. The most common dinosaur species is of the sauropodomorph species Massospondylus carinatus.[15][16] Other species include Blikanasaurus cromptoni, Aardonyx celestae, Euskelosaurus browni, Antetonitrus ingenipes, Pulanesaura eocollum, and the largest sauropodomorph yet found, Ledumahadi mafube.[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] Fossilised Massospondylus eggs, some with the fossilized remains of embryos intact, have been recovered from UEF deposits in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.[25][26] Euskelosaurus fossils are more common in the LEF while Massospondylus are only found in the UEF. The basal ornithischian dinosaurs, Heterodontosaurus tucki, Lesothosaurus diagnosticus, Abrictosaurus consors, and Lycorhinus angustidens have also been recovered from the UEF.[27][28] In addition this formation has yielded various crocodylomorph species,[29] namely Litargosuchus leptorhynchus, Sphenosuchus acutus and Orthosuchus stormbergi.[30][31][32][33] A large theropod dinosaur, Dracovenator regenti, has been found in the UEF.[34] Synapsids from the formation include the dicynodont Pentasaurus goggai[35] the tritheledontid cynodont Elliotherium kersteni[36][37] and the mammaliaform Megazostrodon rudnerae.[38] More recent vertebrate fossil finds near the town Qhemegha in the Eastern Cape have yielded possible fossil material of a poposauroid pseudosuchian. The mudstones of the LEF sometimes yield petrified wood, fossil plant matter, crustaceans, fishes, and turtles while the sandstones of the upper Elliot Formation more often contain various trace fossils. These include vertebrate trackways of basal ornithischian dinosaurs found in the Leribe, Mafeteng, and Mohales Hoek Districts of Lesotho. Possible trackways of the dicynodont Pentasaurus have been found on Morobong Hill in the Mohales Hoek District of Lesotho.[39][40][41][42]

Dinosaurs[edit]

Ornithischians[edit]

Ornithischians of the Elliot Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphy Notes Images
Abrictosaurus A. consors
  • Upper Elliot
 A heterodontosaurid, formerly species of Lycorhinus
Eocursor E. parvus
  • Upper Elliot
 A basal ornithischian
Fabrosaurus F. australis
  • Upper Elliot
 A basal ornithischian, nomen dubium
Heterodontosaurus H. tucki
  • Upper Elliot
 A heterodontosaurid
Lesothosaurus L. diagnosticus
  • Upper Elliot
 A basal neornithischian or thyreophoran, formerly species of Fabrosaurus
Lycorhinus L. angustidens
  • Upper Elliot
 A heterodontosaurid
Pegomastax P. africana
  • Upper Elliot
 A heterodontosaurid

Sauropodomorphs[edit]

Sauropodomorphs of the Elliot Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphy Notes Images
Aardonyx A. celestae
  • Upper Elliot
 A derived sauropodomorph
Antetonitrus A. ingenipes
  • Upper Elliot
 A derived sauropodomorph or basal sauropod
Arcusaurus A. pereirabdalorum
  • Spion Kop Heelbo
  • Upper Elliot
 A basal sauropodomorph, known from juveniles
Gryponyx G. africanus
  • Upper Elliot
 A massospondylid, potentially dubious
Blikanasaurus B. cromptoni
  • Blikana Mountain
  • Lower Elliot
 A derived sauropodomorph or basal sauropod
Eucnemesaurus E. fortis
  • Lower Elliot
 A possible riojasaurid
E. entaxonis
Euskelosaurus E. browni
  • Lower Elliot
 A plateosaurid, potentially dubious
Ignavusaurus I. rachelis
  • Upper Elliot
 A massospondylid, known from a juvenile, potential synonym of Massospondylus
Kholumolumo
  • Lower Elliot
 A basal sauropodiform
Ledumahadi L. mafube A derived sauropodomorph or basal sauropod, largest in the formation
Massospondylus M. carinatus
  • Upper Elliot
 A massospondylid, most common fossil found
M. kaalae
  • Upper Elliot
 A massospondylid, differs from M. carinatus in cranial features
Melanorosaurus M. readi
  • Thaba 'Nyama
  • Lower Elliot
 A derived sauropodomorph
Meroktenos M. thabanensis
  • Thabana Morena
  • Lower Elliot
 A derived sauropodomorph, formerly a species of Melanorosaurus
Plateosauravus P. cullingworthi
  • Lower Elliot
 A basal sauropodomorph, formerly specimens of Euskelosaurus
Pulanesaura P. eocollum
  • Upper Elliot
 A derived sauropodomorph or basal sauropod
Sefapanosaurus S. zastronensis
  • Upper or Lower Elliot
 A derived sauropodomorph

Theropods[edit]

Theropods of the Elliot Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphy Notes Images
Dracovenator D. regenti
  • Upper Drumbo Farm
  • Upper Elliot
 A dilophosaurid
Megapnosaurus Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis
  • Upper Elliot
 A coelophysid

Suchians[edit]

Crocodylomorphs[edit]

Crocodylomorphs of the Elliot Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphy Notes Images
Basutodon B. ferox
  • Lower Elliot
 A dubious suchian
Litargosuchus L. leptorhynchus
  • Eagles Crag Farm
  • Upper Elliot
 A basal crocodylomorph
Orthosuchus O. stormbergi
  • Upper Elliot
 A possible protosuchid
Rauisuchian
  • Lower Elliot
 A indeterminate large "Rauisuchian"
Sphenosuchus S. acutus
  • Upper Elliot
 A large basal crocodylomorph

Synapsids[edit]

Synapsids of the Elliot Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphy Notes Images
Elliotherium E. kersteni
  • Lower Elliot
 A tritheledontid cynodont
Megazostrodon M. rudnerae
  • Upper Elliot
 A megazostrodontid cynodont
Pentasaurus P. goggai
  • Lower Elliot
 A stahleckeriid dicynodont
Scalenodontoides S. macrodontes
  • Lower Elliot
 A very large traversodontid cynodont

References[edit]

  1. ^ Bordy, Emese M.; Abrahams, Miengah; Sharman, Glenn R.; Viglietti, Pia A.; Benson, Roger B.J.; McPhee, Blair W.; Barrett, Paul M.; Sciscio, Lara; Condon, Daniel; Mundil, Roland; Rademan, Zandri (April 2020). "A chronostratigraphic framework for the upper Stormberg Group: Implications for the Triassic-Jurassic boundary in southern Africa". Earth-Science Reviews. 203: 103120. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103120. ISSN 0012-8252. S2CID 213646670.
  2. ^ Bordy, Emese M.; John Hancox, P.; Rubidge, Bruce S. (2004-03-01). "Fluvial style variations in the Late Triassic–Early Jurassic Elliot formation, main Karoo Basin, South Africa". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 38 (4): 383–400. Bibcode:2004JAfES..38..383B. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2004.02.004. ISSN 1464-343X.
  3. ^ "A description of the sedimentology and palaeontology of the Late Triassic–Early Jurassic Elliot Formation in Lesotho". WIReDSpace Wits. 2004-09-01. ISSN 0078-8554.
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  5. ^ Tankard, Anthony; Welsink, Herman; Aukes, Peter; Newton, Robert; Stettler, Edgar (2009-09-01). "Tectonic evolution of the Cape and Karoo basins of South Africa". Marine and Petroleum Geology. 26 (8): 1379–1412. doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2009.01.022. ISSN 0264-8172.
  6. ^ "Meander channel, point bar, crevasse splay and aeolian deposits from the Elliot Formation in Barkly Pass, North-eastern Cape". South African Journal of Geology. 83 (1). 1980-01-01. ISSN 1012-0750.
  7. ^ Bordy, E.M.; Eriksson, P. (2015-09-01). "Lithostratigraphy of the Elliot Formation (Karoo Supergroup), South Africa". South African Journal of Geology. 118 (3): 311–316. doi:10.2113/gssajg.118.3.311. hdl:2263/55739. ISSN 1012-0750.
  8. ^ Sciscio, Lara; De Kock, Michiel; Bordy, Emese; Knoll, Fabien (2017-11-01). "Magnetostratigraphy across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary in the main Karoo Basin". Gondwana Research. 51: 177–192. Bibcode:2017GondR..51..177S. doi:10.1016/j.gr.2017.07.009. hdl:10261/338607. ISSN 1342-937X.
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  16. ^ Chinsamy, Anusuya. "Bone histology and growth trajectory of the prosauropod dinosaur Massospondylus carinatus Owen | Request PDF". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  17. ^ Galton, Peter M.; Heerden, Jacques (April 1998). "Anatomy of the prosauropod dinosaurBlikanasaurus cromptoni (Upper Triassic, South Africa), with notes on the other tetrapods from the lower Elliot Formation". Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 72 (1–2): 163–177. doi:10.1007/bf02987824. ISSN 0031-0220. S2CID 128464155.
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  21. ^ Hancox, P. John; Rubidge, Bruce S.; Yates, Adam M. (1 September 2004). "First record of a sauropod dinosaur from the upper Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic) of South Africa: research letter". South African Journal of Science. 100 (9): 504–506.
  22. ^ McPhee, Blair W.; Yates, Adam M.; Choiniere, Jonah N.; Abdala, Fernando (2014-04-25). "The complete anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Antetonitrus ingenipes (Sauropodiformes, Dinosauria): implications for the origins of Sauropoda". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 171 (1). doi:10.1111/zoj12127. ISSN 1096-3642.
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  27. ^ Knoll, Fabien (2002-07-08). "Nearly complete skull ofLesothosaurus(Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Upper Elliot Formation (Lower Jurassic: Hettangian) of Lesotho". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 22 (2): 238–243. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0238:ncsold]2.0.co;2. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 85790601.
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  30. ^ Walker, A. D. (1990-10-29). "A revision of Sphenosuchus acutus Haughton, a crocodylomorph reptile from the Elliot Formation (late Triassic or early Jurassic) of South Africa". Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B. 330 (1256): 1–120. doi:10.1098/rstb.1990.0185. ISSN 0962-8436.
  31. ^ Nash, Diane (2009-08-20). "A crocodile from the Upper Triassic of Lesotho". Journal of Zoology. 156 (2): 163–179. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1968.tb05927.x. ISSN 0952-8369.
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  33. ^ Dollman, K. N.; Viglietti, P. A.; Choiniere, J. N. (2017-10-12). "A new specimen of Orthosuchus stormbergi (Nash 1968) and a review of the distribution of Southern African Lower Jurassic crocodylomorphs". Historical Biology. 31 (5): 653–664. doi:10.1080/08912963.2017.1387110. ISSN 0891-2963. S2CID 134134524.
  34. ^ "A new theropod dinosaur from the Early Jurassic of South Africa and its implication for the early evolution of theropods | Request PDF". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  35. ^ F., Kammerer, Christian (2018). "The first skeletal evidence of a dicynodont from the lower Elliot Formation of South Africa". Palaeontologia Africana. ISSN 2410-4418.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  36. ^ Hancox, P. J.; Sidor, C. A. (March 2006). "Elliotherium Kersteni, A New Tritheledontid from the Lower Elliot Formation (Upper Triassic) of South Africa". Journal of Paleontology. 80 (2): 333–342. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.557.9156. doi:10.1666/0022-3360(2006)080[0333:EKANTF]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0022-3360. S2CID 130003909.
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  39. ^ Anderson, J.M.; Anderson, H.M.; Cruickshank, A.R.I. (1998). "Late Triassic ecosystems of the Molteno Lower Elliot biome of southern Africa" (PDF). Palaeontology. 41 (3): 387–421.
  40. ^ Smith, R.; Kitching, J. (1997-06-01). "Sedimentology and vertebrate taphonomy of the Tritylodon Acme Zone: a reworked palaeosol in the Lower Jurassic Elliot Formation, Karoo Supergroup, South Africa". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 131 (1–2): 29–50. Bibcode:1997PPP...131...29S. doi:10.1016/S0031-0182(96)00143-5. ISSN 0031-0182.
  41. ^ Knoll, Fabien (January 2005). "The tetrapod fauna of the Upper Elliot and Clarens formations in the main Karoo Basin (South Africa and Lesotho)". Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. 176 (1): 81–91. doi:10.2113/176.1.81. ISSN 0037-9409.
  42. ^ Sciscio, Lara (December 2015). Position of the Triassic-Jurassic boundary in South Africa and Lesotho: a multidisciplinary approach aimed at improving the chronostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Elliot Formation, Stormberg Group (Thesis). University of Cape Town – via OpenUCT.
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