Shangshaximiao Fm
Type Locality and Naming
It was named by Yang Boquan, Sun Wanquan as the Shaximiao Horizon in 1946, and was first cited publicly and renamed as the Shangshaximiao Formation by Sheng Xinfu in 1962. The naming locality is situated in the vicinity of Shaxi Temple of Hechuan County, Sichuan Province, with its reference section being located in the area of Shaxi Temple till the Baitaping area (Wang Chaolu and others, 1981).
Synonym:
Lithology and Thickness
The formation is composed largely of a rhythmic dark-purple mudstone and sandy mudstone in association with grey-green and purple arkosic quartz-sandstone, with a thickness of about 1000 m.
Relationships and Distribution
Lower contact
Its basalt part with a layer of medium and fine-grained sandstone with oblique and horizontal beddings is in a conformable contact with the underlying Xiashaximiao Fm.
Upper contact
Regionally, the schematic strat column indicates the next younger unit as Suining Fm
Regional extent
The formation is distributed extensively in the Sichuan Basin, with a consistent lithology, and with a thickness varying in a range commonly of 700 m to 1200 m, with its greatest thickness reaching 2000 m.
GeoJSON
Fossils
It yields abundant Dinosaur fossils as represented by Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis, Omeisaurus junghsiensis, Yongchuanosaurus shangyouensis; bivalve fossils such as Psilunio chaoi and Lamprotula (Eolamprotula) cremeri; and Ostracod fossils such as Darwinula sarytirmenensis, D. impudica and Timiriasevia rugosa.
Age
Depositional setting
Additional Information