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Gaogou Formation
Stratigraphic range: Cenomanian-Coniacian ~96–88 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Zhang Fengchen at the Gaogou Formation
Type	Geological formation
Sub-units	Upper Member, Lower Member
Underlies	Majiacun Formation
Overlies	Baiwan Formation
Lithology
Primary	Conglomerate
Other	Mudstone
Location
Coordinates	33°24′N 112°54′E / 33.4°N 112.9°E / 33.4; 112.9
Approximate paleocoordinates	32°42′N 104°42′E / 32.7°N 104.7°E / 32.7; 104.7
Region	Henan Province
Country	China
Extent	Xixia Basin
Gaogou Formation (China)Show map of ChinaGaogou Formation (Henan)Show map of Henan

The Gaogou Formation is a fossiliferous geological formation located in the Xixia Basin of China. The formation dates back to the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Coniacian) and fossilized eggs of dinosaurs and turtles are commonly reported from the formation. Dinosaur taxa is also reported from the unit.

Paleobiota of the Gaogou Formation

Dinosaurs

Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic Position	Material	Notes	Images
Baotianmansaurus	B. henanensis	Neixiang		"Partial vertebrae and scapula."	A titanosauriform.
Beibeilong	B. sinensis	Heimaogou		"Embryonic skeleton with associated partial nest."	A large caenagnathid.

Eggs

Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic Position	Material	Notes	Images
Dendroolithus	D. xichuanensis	Xichuan		"Eggshell fragments and collapsed eggs."	Dendroolithid eggs laid by ornithopods, sauropod or theropods.
	Indeterminate	Xixia		"Intact eggs and egg clutches."	Dendroolithid eggs laid by ornithopods, sauropod or theropods.
Dictyoolithus	D. neixiangensis	Xixia		Not specified.	Dictyoolithid eggs.
Faveoloolithus	Indeterminate	Nanxiang		"Single egg."	Faveoloolithid egg.
Macroelongatoolithus	M. xixiaensis	Heimaogou		"Partial nest of 6-8 eggs, and eggshell fragments."	Elongatoolithid eggs laid by Beibeilong.
	M. xixiaensis	Neixiang, Xixia		"Isolated eggs and complete egg clutches."	Elongatoolithid eggs laid by caenagnathids.
Neixiangoolithus	N. yani	Neixiang		"Multiple egg clutches."	Testudoolithid eggs laid by a turtle.
Paraspheroolithus	P. cf. irenensis	Xixia		"Complete egg clutches."	Spheroolithid eggs.
Placoolithus	P. tumiaolingensis	Yunxian		"Several eggs and egg clutches."	Dendroolithid eggs laid by ornithopods, sauropod or theropods.
Prismatoolithus	P. gebiensis	Neixiang, Xixia		"Several egg clutches."	Prismatoolithid eggs laid by troodontids.
Youngoolithus	Y. xiaguanensis	Xixia		"Clutch with 4 eggs."	Youngoolithid eggs.

Flora

Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic Position	Material	Notes	Images
Araucariaceae indet.	Indeterminate	Xixia		"Amber pieces."	A conifer.
Plantae indet.	Indeterminate	Not specified.	Upper Member	"Rhizoliths."	Root traces.

Invertebrates

Turtles

See also

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
• List of stratigraphic units with dinosaur trace fossils
• Dinosaur eggs
• Cenomanian-Turonian extinction event

References

1. Zhang, X.; Lü, J.; Xu, L.; Li, J.; Yang, L.; Hu, W.; Jia, S.; Ji, Q.; Zhang, C. (2009). "A New Sauropod Dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Gaogou Formation of Nanyang, Henan Province". Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition). 83 (2): 212. Bibcode:2009AcGlS..83..212Z. doi:10.1111/j.1755-6724.2009.00032.x. S2CID 129422997.
2. ^ Pu, H.; Zelenitsky, D. K.; Lü, J.; Currie, P. J.; Carpenter, K.; Xu, L.; Koppelhus, E. B.; Jia, S.; Xiao, L.; Chuang, H.; Li, T.; Kundrát, M.; Shen, C. (2017). "Perinate and eggs of a giant caenagnathid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of central China". Nature Communications. 8 (14952): 14952. Bibcode:2017NatCo...814952P. doi:10.1038/ncomms14952. PMC 5477524. PMID 28486442.
3. ^ Liang, X.; Wen, S.; Yang, D.; Zhou, S.; Wu, S. (2009). "Dinosaur eggs and dinosaur egg-bearing deposits (Upper Cretaceous) of Henan Province, China: Occurrences, palaeoenvironments, taphonomy and preservation". Progress in Natural Science. 19 (11): 1587−1601. Bibcode:2009PNSMI..19.1587L. doi:10.1016/j.pnsc.2009.06.012.
4. Xu, L.; Xie, J.; Zhang, S.; Choi, S.; Kim, N.-H.; Gao, D.; Jin, X.; Jia, S.; Gao, Y. (2022). "Fossil turtle eggs from the Upper Cretaceous Gaogou Formation, Xiaguan-Gaoqiu Basin, Neixiang County, Henan Province, China: Interpretation of the transformation from aragonite to calcite in fossil turtle eggshell". Cretaceous Research. 134: 105166. Bibcode:2022CrRes.13405166X. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2022.105166. S2CID 246627436.
5. Zhang, S.; Yang, T.-R.; Li, Z.; Hu, Y. (2018). "New dinosaur egg material from Yunxian, Hubei Province, China resolves the classification of dendroolithid eggs" (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 63 (4): 671−678. doi:10.4202/app.00523.2018.
6. Shi, G.; Dutta, S.; Paul, S.; Wang, B.; Jacques, F. M. B. (2014). "Terpenoid Compositions and Botanical Origins of Late Cretaceous and Miocene Amber from China". PLOS ONE. 9 (10): e111303. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...9k1303S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111303. PMC 4213060. PMID 25354364.
7. ^ Wang, C.-Z.; Wang, J.; Hu, B.; Lu, X.-H. (2016). "Trace fossils and sedimentary environments of the upper cretaceous in the Xixia Basin, Southwestern Henan Province, China". Geodinamica Acta. 28 (1–2): 53−70. Bibcode:2016GeoAc..28...53W. doi:10.1080/09853111.2015.1065307.
8. Tong, H.; Xu, L.; Buffetaut, E.; Zhang, X.; Jia, S. (2012). "A new nanhsiungchelyid turtle from the Late Cretaceous of Neixiang, Henan Province, China". Annales de Paléontologie. 98 (4): 303–314. Bibcode:2012AnPal..98..303T. doi:10.1016/j.annpal.2012.08.001.

• Geologic formations of China
• Upper Cretaceous Series of Asia
• Cretaceous China
• Cenomanian Stage
• Turonian Stage
• Conglomerate formations
• Mudstone formations
• Fluvial deposits
• Ooliferous formations
• Paleontology in Henan