Shishugou Formation

Further information: Shishugou Formation dinosaur traps

Shishugou Formation Stratigraphic range: Middle-Late Jurassic
Type	Geological formation
Sub-units	Wucaiwan Member
Underlies	Tugulu Group
Overlies	Xishanyao Formation
Location
Country	China

The Shishugou Formation (simplified Chinese: 石树沟组; traditional Chinese: 石樹溝組; pinyin: Shíshùgōu Zǔ) is a geological formation in Xinjiang, China.

Its strata date back to the Late Jurassic period. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation. (see Junggar Basin dinosaur trap). The Shishugou Formation is considered one of the most phylogenetically and trophically diverse Middle to Late Jurassic theropod fauna.

The Wucaiwan Formation, once considered a separate, underlying formation, is now considered the lowest unit of the Shishugou Formation.

Fauna

The Shishugou Formation dinosaur traps are a source of fauna fossils.

Ornithischians

Undescribed stegosaur is present in the Wucaiwan member. Undescribed ornithopod is present in the Wucaiwan member. Undescribed ankylosaurs present in both upper Shishugou and Wucaiwan members.

Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
"Eugongbusaurus"	"Eugongbusaurus wucaiwanensis"			An unspecified ornithopod, previously classified as Gongbusaurus wucaiwanensis. It is estimated at around 1.3 to 1.5 meters long (4.3 to 4.9 feet).	Yinlong
Jiangjunosaurus	Jiangjunosaurus junggarensis			A stegosaur reaching around 6 meters (20 feet) in length and weighed 2.5 tonnes. It had three distinguishing traits: the crowns of the teeth are symmetrical and in side view wider than tall; the spine of the axis, the second neck vertebra, has a rectangular profile in side view, instead of a triangular one; and the rear neck vertebrae have large vein openings in their sides.
Yinlong	Yinlong downsi			A very basal and most primitive ceratopsian. It was bipedal and had a total length of about 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) from nose to tail, and a weight of about 15 kilograms (33 pounds).

Pterosaurs

Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Kryptodrakon	Kryptodrakon progenitor			A basal pterodactyloid with an estimated wingspan of 1.47 meters (4.8 feet).	File:Kryptodrakon.jpeg Kryptodrakon Sericipterus
Sericipterus	Sericipterus wucaiwanensis			A rhamphorhynchine rhamphorhynchid with a wingspan that has been estimated at least 1.73 meters.

Sauropods

Sauropods reported from the Shishugou Formation
Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Bellusaurus	Bellusaurus sui	Wucaiwan member		A short-necked camarasaurid which measured about 4.8 meters (16 feet) long.	File:Bellusaurus-v1.jpg Bellusaurus File:Klamelisaurus-v1.jpg Klamelisaurus Mamenchisaurus
Klamelisaurus	Klamelisaurus gobiensis	Wucaiwan member		A eusauropod measuring 15 meters and weighing 5 tonnes. It is similar to Bellusaurus, of which it may actually be an adult specimen and thus a junior synonym.
Mamenchisaurus	Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum		"Partial skull and skeleton."	A mamenchisaurid with a remarkably long neck which made up half the total body length. It is one of the largest dinosaurs known, measuring 35 meters (115 feet) in length with a 18-meter-long (59 feet) neck.
Tienshanosaurus	Tienshanosaurus chitaiensis		"Partial postcranial skeleton."	A mamenchisaurid known from very few remains.

Theropods

Undescribed ornithomimosaur. Indeterminate tetanuran remains.

Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Aorun	A. zhaoi	Wucaiwan member		An unspecified tyrannoraptoran that was at best 1 meter (3.3 feet) long and weighed 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) at most.	File:Aorun zhaoi Final.png Aorun Guanlong File:Haplocherius sollers TIV 400.JPG Haplocheirus File:Limusaurus BW.jpg Limusaurus File:Monolophosaurus jiangi jmallon.jpg Monolophosaurus File:Sinraptor NT.jpg Sinraptor Zuolong
Guanlong	Guanlong wucaii			A proceratosaurid that was one of the earliest tyrannosaurs, about 3 meters (9.8 feet). It has a large distincitve crest on its head, something unusual in most tyrannosaurs.
Haplocheirus	Haplocheirus sollers			An alvarezsaur that was the largest known definite member of the superfamily, at around 2 meters long. It had an enlarged thumb claw like other alvarezsaurs, but also retained two other functional fingers, unlike more derived alvarezsauroids, where only the thumb was significantly large and clawed.
Limusaurus	Limusaurus inextricabilis			A primitive, toothless, herbivorous elaphrosaurine noasaur that is the first definitely known ceratosaur from Eastern Asia, including China, as well as one of the earliest. Limusaurus had a small slender body measuring about 1.7 meters in length.
Monolophosaurus	Monolophosaurus jiangi	Wucaiwan member		A tetanuran named for the single crest on top of its skull. It is estimated at 5 meters (16.5 feet). In 2010, it was estimated to have a length at 5.5 meters, the weight at 475 kilograms.
Sinraptor	Sinraptor dongi			A metriacanthosaurine metriacanthosaur standing nearly 3 meters tall (10 feet) and measuring roughly 7.6 meters (25 feet) in length.
Zuolong	Zuolong salleei			A basal coelurosaur approximately 3 meters (9.8 feet) long, and weighs about equal to a wolf.

See also

• Jurassic Asia
• Jurassic paleontological sites
• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations