The Eumeralla Formation is a geological formation in Victoria, Australia whose strata date back to the

Early Cretaceous The Early Cretaceous (geochronology, geochronological name) or the Lower Cretaceous (chronostratigraphy, chronostratigraphic name) is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous. It is usually considered to stretch from 143.1 ...

. It is

Aptian The Aptian is an age (geology), age in the geologic timescale or a stage (stratigraphy), stage in the stratigraphic column. It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous, Early or Lower Cretaceous epoch (geology), Epoch or series (stratigraphy), S ...

Albian The Albian is both an age (geology), age of the geologic timescale and a stage (stratigraphy), stage in the stratigraphic column. It is the youngest or uppermost subdivision of the Early Cretaceous, Early/Lower Cretaceous epoch (geology), Epoch/s ...

in age. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, particularly from the Dinosaur Cove locality.Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Early Cretaceous, Australasia)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 573-574. .

Geology

The Eumeralla Formation was deposited within the

Otway Basin The Otway Basin is a northwest trending sedimentary basin located along the southern coast of Australia. The basin covers an area of 150,000 square kilometers and spans from southeastern South Australia to southwestern Victoria, with 80% lying o ...

, which at the time of deposition was part of an

extensional In any of several fields of study that treat the use of signs — for example, in linguistics, logic Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the study of deductively valid infe ...

rift valley A rift valley is a linear shaped lowland between several highlands or mountain ranges produced by the action of a geologic rift. Rifts are formed as a result of the pulling apart of the lithosphere due to extensional tectonics. The linear ...

system formed between Australia and Antarctica. The lithology primarily consists of fluvially deposited

siliciclastic Siliciclastic (or ''siliclastic'') rocks are clastic noncarbonate sedimentary rocks that are composed primarily of silicate minerals, such as quartz or clay minerals. Siliciclastic rock types include mudrock, sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic ...

s derived from volcanic material. The strata of the Eumeralla Formation are folded as a result of northwest–southeast crustal compression during the

Neogene The Neogene ( ,) is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period million years ago ( Mya) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period million years ago. It is the second period of th ...

, which also reactivated some Cretaceous aged

normal fault In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock across which there has been significant displacement as a result of rock-mass movements. Large faults within Earth's crust result from the action of plate tectonic ...

s. It is one of three major fossiliferous deposits in Victoria dating to the Early Cretaceous, including the older Wonthaggi Formation and the Koonwarra fossil bed (which some authors have considered part of the Eumeralla Formation).

Paleobiota

Invertebrate traces named as '' Skolithos sp.'' and '' Arenicolites sp.'',Milanesia Beach tracksite
at

Fossilworks Fossilworks was a portal which provides query, download, and analysis tools to facilitate access to the Paleobiology Database, a large relational database assembled by hundreds of paleontologists from around the world. History Fossilworks was cr ...

.org as well as indeterminate ornithischian tracks are present in Victoria, Australia. Indeterminate ornithopod remains are present at Eric the Red West locality and Elliot River, including material that possibly belongs to a new taxon. Indeterminate theropod and possible indeterminate dromaeosaurid remains are present in Victoria, Australia. An indeterminate unenlagiine is known from the formation.

Dinosaurs

Ornithischians

Theropods

Fish

Mammals

Reptiles

References

{{Portalbar, Earth sciences, Paleontology, Dinosaurs Geologic formations of Australia Cretaceous System of Australia Early Cretaceous Australia Albian Stage Aptian Stage Sandstone formations Siltstone formations Mudstone formations Conglomerate formations Fluvial deposits Fossiliferous stratigraphic units of Oceania Paleontology in Victoria (state) Geology of Victoria (state)