Tzuyang (Jurassic to of China)

Where: Sichuan, China (30.1° N, 104.7° E: paleocoordinates 30.1° N, 109.2° E)

• coordinate based on political unit

• small collection-level geographic resolution

When: Upper Member (Shaximiao Formation), Bathonian to Bathonian (168.3 - 163.5 Ma)

• formation assignment questionable

•Several radiometric ages have been reported for the Shaximiao Formation, including 167 Ma or 172 Ma (Zong and Shi, 1997), 167–172 Ma or 178–169 Ma (Gou et al., 2000), 163±3 Ma (Li et al., 2010), 160±4 Ma (Luo et al., 2014), 158±7 Ma (Qian et al., 2016), and 159±2 Ma (Wang et al., 2018). However, more recent studies suggest an older age; Dai et al. 2022 reported a maximum depositional age for the bone-bearing layers of the lower member of the Shaximiao formation to be Bjaocan. Zhou et al. 2022 also supported a late Middle Jurassic age for the Shaximiao Formation (Bathonian-Callovian).

• bed-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: terrestrial; red, sandy claystone

• red sandy clay

Size class: macrofossils

Reposited in the IVPP

Primary reference: C.-C. Young and M.-C. Chow. 1953. New fossil reptiles from Szechuan China. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica 1(3):87-109 [R. Benson/R. Benson/P. Mannion]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 131873: authorized by Roger Benson, entered by Roger Benson on 01.08.2012

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Reptilia
 Testudines - Xinjiangchelyidae
Tienfuchelys tzuyangensis n. gen. n. sp. Young and Chow 1953 turtle
IVPP V711, holotype partial skeleton