The Baruungoyot Formation (also known as Barun Goyot) is a geological formation dating to the Late Cretaceous Period. It is located within and is widely represented in the Gobi Desert Basin, in the Ömnögovi Province of Mongolia.

Description

It was previously known as the Lower Nemegt Beds occurring beneath the Nemegt Formation. The stratotype of the Baruungoyot Formation is the Khulsan locality, east of Nemegt. At Nemegt, only the uppermost barungoyotian beds are visible. The Red Beds of Khermeen Tsav are also considered part of the Baruungoyot Formation. It is approximately in thickness.Gradzinski, R.; & Jerzykiewicz, T. (1974). Sedimentation of the Barun Goyot formation. Palaeontologica Polonica, 30, 111-146. The Baruungoyot Formation preserves an environment of sand dunes, created from wind-eroded rocks (aeolian dunes). The formation is considered Maastrichtian in age. It has no contact with the Djadochta Formation but the presence of many overlapping animals suggests they are at least partially coeval.

Paleobiota of the Baruungoyot Formation

Lizards Genus Species Location Material Notes ImagesEstesiaEstesia mongoliensisAn anguimorphGobidermaGobiderma pulchrumA MonstersaurProplatynotiaProplatynotia longirostrata

Mammals Genus Species Location Material Notes Images Asioryctes A. nemegtensis A eutherian. Barunlestes B. butleri A eutherian. Catopsbaatar C. catopsaloides A djadochtatheriid. Chulsanbaatar C. vulgaris A multituberculate. Deltatheridium D. pretrituberculare A tribosphenid. Nemegtbaatar N. gobiensis A multituberculate. Zofialestes Z. longidens A eutherian.

Dinosaurs Ornithiscians

Ankylosaurs Genus Species Location Material Notes Images Saichania S. chulsanensis Hermiin Tsav II, Khulsan [Three] skulls, mandibles, cervical vertebrae, dorsal vertebrae, ribs, sternum, scapulocoracoids, humerus, ulna, radius, manus, cervical half-rings, and osteoderms.Carpenter, K., Hayashi, S., Kobayashi, Y., Maryańska, T., Barsbold, R., Sato, K., and Obata, I., 2011, "Saichania chulsanensis (Ornithischia, Ankylosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia", Palaeontographica, Abteilung A, 294(1-3): 1-61 An ankylosaurid. Tarchia T. kielanae Hermiin Tsav II, Khulsan [Two] partial skulls, osteoderms, and [three] undescribed specimens. An ankylosaurid also known from a second species, T. teresae, which was found in the Nemegt Formation. Zaraapelta Z. nomadis Hermiin Tsav A partial skull missing the rostrum. An ankylosaurid known from a subadult individual. Ankylosauridae indet. Indeterminate Hermiin Tsav Dorsal vertebrae, ribs, pectoral girdles, forelimbs, pelvic girdles, hindlimbs, and osteoderms. An ankylosaurid known from a specimen preserved in a "resting posture".

Ceratopsians Genus Species Location Material Notes Images Bagaceratops B. rozhdestvenskyi Hermin Tsav, Khulsan "Multiple specimens with partial to nearly complete skulls and skeletons." A protoceratopsid. Gobiceratops, Lamaceratops, and Platyceratops are now considered synonyms of Bagaceratops. Breviceratops B. kozlowskii Khulsan "Two skulls and partial skeleton remains." A protoceratopsid. Udanoceratops? Indeterminate Baga Tariach "Partial juvenile specimen." A giant leptoceratopsid.

Pachycephalosaurs Genus Species Location Material Notes Images Tylocephale T. gilmorei Khulsan "Partial skull." A pachycephalosaurid.

Sauropods Genus Species Location Material Notes Images Faveoloolithus F. ningxiaensis Hermiin Tsav, Ikh Shunkht, Ologoy Ulan Tsav "Eggs, egg clutches and shells."K. Mikhailov, K. Sabath, and S. Kurzanov. (1994). Eggs and nests from the Cretaceous of Mongolia. In K. Carpenter, K. F. Hirsch, and J. R. Horner (eds.), Dinosaur Eggs and Babies, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 88-115. Eggs probably laid by a sauropod. Quaesitosaurus Q. orientalis Shar Tsav "Partial skull."Kurzanov, S. and Bannikov, A. (1983). "A new sauropod from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia". Paleontologicheskii Zhurnal 2: 90–96. A titanosaur.

Theropods An undescribed tyrannosaurid specimen is known from the formation.

Alvarezsaurs Genus Species Location Material Notes Images Ceratonykus C. oculatus Hermiin Tsav "Partial skull with skeleton."Alifanov, V. R.; Barsbold, R. (2009). Ceratonykus oculatus gen. et sp. nov., a new dinosaur (? Theropoda, Alvarezsauria) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. Paleontological Journal 43 (1): 94−106.Alifanov, V. R.; Saveliev, S. V. (2011). Brain structure and neurobiology of alvarezsaurians (Dinosauria), exemplified by Ceratonykus oculatus (Parvicursoridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. Paleontological Journal. 45 (2), 183−190. An alvarezsaurid. JaculinykusJ. yaruuiNemegtA nearly complete articulated skeleton including much of the skullA parvicursorine alvarezsaurid. KhulsanurusK. magnificusKhulsan"Partial skeleton, including cervical and caudal vertebrae, scapulocoracoids, humerus, and pubis."An alvarezsaurid.OndogurvelO. alifanoviNemegt"Partial postcranial skeleton," including dorsal and sacral vertebrae and hip and leg bones.An alvarezsaurid. Parvicursor P. remotus Khulsan "Partial vertebrae, pelvic girdle and hindlimbs."Karhu, A. A.; Rautian, A. S. (1996). A new family of Maniraptora (Dinosauria: Saurischia) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. Paleontological Journal. 30, 583−592. An alvarezsaurid

Birds Genus Species Location Material Notes Images Gobioolithus G. major Gilbent, Khulsan "Five eggs." Eggs probably laid by a bird. G. minor Hermiin Tsav, Khulsan "Eggs with embryonic remains." Eggs probably laid by Gobipipus. Gobipipus G. reshetovi Hermiin Tsav, Khulsan "Embryonic skulls and skeletons."Kurochkin, E. N.; Chatterjee, S.; Mikhailov, K. E. (2013). An embryonic enantiornithine bird and associated eggs from the cretaceous of Mongolia. Paleontol. J. 47, 1252–1269. An enantiornithine. Gobipteryx G. minuta Hermiin Tsav, Khulsan "Skulls and partial skeletons, and embryonic remains."Elzanowski, A. (1977). Skulls of Gobipteryx (Aves) from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. Results of the Polish-Mongolian Paleontological Expeditions - Part VII. Palaeontologica Polonica. 37, 153-165.Elzanowski, A. (1995). Cretaceous birds and avian phylogeny. Cour. Forschungsinst. Senckenb. 181, 37-53.Kurochkin, E. N. (2004). The truth about Gobipteryx. Sixth International Meeting of the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution. Abstracts. 33-34. An enantiornithine. Also present in the Djadokhta Formation. Hollanda H. luceria Hermiin Tsav "Partial hindlimbs from several specimens."Bell, A.K., Chiappe, L.M., Suzuki, S., Watabe, M. (2008). "Phylogenetic and morphometric analysis of a new ornithuromorph from the Barun Goyot Formation, Southern Mongolia." Abstracts of the 7th International Meeting of the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution.1.Bell, A.K., Chiappe, L.M., Erickson, G.M., Suzuki, S., Watabe, M., Barsbold, R. and Tsogtbaatar, K. (2010). "Description and ecologic analysis of Hollanda luceria, a Late Cretaceous bird from the Gobi Desert (Mongolia)." Cretaceous Research, 31(1): 16-26. An ornithuromorph. Protoceratopsidovum P. fluxuosum Hermiin Tsav, Khulsan "Clutch of 19 eggs and isolated eggs." Eggs probably laid by a bird. P. minimum Ikh Shunkht "Clutch of eggs." Eggs probably laid by a bird. P. sincerum Hermiin Tsav "Partial egg." Eggs probably laid by a bird. Styloolithus S. sabathi Khulsan "Partial eggs." Eggs probably laid by a bird.

Dromaeosaurids Genus Species Location Material Notes ImagesHulsanpesH. perleiKhulsanPartial foot and skull boneA halszkaraptorineKuruK. kullaKhulsan"Fragmentary skeleton."A dromaeosaurid. Natovenator N. polydontus Hermiin Tsav Partial articulated skeleton with skull A halszkaraptorine Shri S. devi Khulsan "Articulated skeleton lacking skull." A dromaeosaurid. Velociraptorinae indet. Indeterminate Hermin Tsav, Khulsan Not specified. A dromaeosaurid.

Troodontids Genus Species Location Material Notes Images Harenadraco H. prima Hermiin Tsav Partial leg, foot, and hip bones A troodontid

Oviraptorosaurs Genus Species Location Material Notes Images Conchoraptor C. gracilis Hermin Tsav, Khulsan "Multiple specimens with skulls and partial skeletons."Kundrat, M. (2007). Avian-like attributes of a virtual brain model of the oviraptorid theropod Conchoraptor gracilis. Naturwissenschaften. 94: 499−504.Kundrat, M.; Janacek, J. (2007). Cranial pneumatization and auditory perceptions of the oviraptorid dinosaur Conchoraptor gracilis (Theropoda, Maniraptora) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. Naturwissenschaften. 94(9): 769−778. An oviraptorid. Also present in the Nemegt Formation. Heyuannia H. yanshini Hermiin Tsav "Partial skulls and skeletons." An oviraptorid. Originally identified as Ajancingenia and "Ingenia". Nemegtomaia N. barsboldi Nemegt "Nesting specimen." An oviraptorid. Also present in the Nemegt Formation.

Gallery

See also List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations List of fossil sites (with link directory)

References