The Tiki Formation is a Late Triassic (Carnian to Norian) geologic formation in Madhya Pradesh, northern India. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus.Weishampel et al., 2004, "Dinosaur distribution", pp. 517-607 Phytosaur remains attributable to the genus Volcanosuchus have also been found in the Tiki Formation.Chatterjee, 1978
The genera Tikiodon, Tikitherium and Tikisuchus and species Rewaconodon tikiensis, Hyperodapedon tikiensis and Parvodus tikiensis have been named after the Tiki Formation.
Paleobiota
Reptiles Dinosaurs Dinosaurs of the Tiki Formation Genus Species Material NotesHerrerasauridaeindeterminateNumerous small partial and complete vertebrae and partial limb bones.An indeterminate herrerasaurid, closely related to Gnathovorax.SauropodomorphaindeterminateTwo semi articulated sarcal Vertebrae and a astragalus.An indeterminate sauropodomorph, closely related to Buriolestes and Eoraptor.TheropodaindeterminateFive teeth and phalanax.An indeterminate theropod.OrnithischiaDatta et al., 2005indeterminateTeeth.An indeterminate putative ornithischia.
Non-dinosaur Archosaurs Non-dinosaur Archosaurs of the Tiki Formation Genus Species Material NotesTikisuchusT. romeriPartial skull and skeleton of a young individual.A putative rauisuchid.DesmatosuchinaeindeterminateOsteodermsAn indeterminate aetosaur.PseudosuchiaHuene, 1940indeterminateAn indeterminate pseudosuchian.
Non-archosaur Reptiles Non-archosaur Reptiles of the Tiki Formation Genus Species Material NotesColossosuchusC. techniensisNumerous skulls and post cranial material from several individuals.A large sized phytosaur.VolcanosuchusV. statisticaeA skull.A Phytosaur.ParasuchusP. hislopiSkull.A Phytosaur.PhytosauriaMukherjee & Ray, 2012Rakshit, N. & Ray, S. (2020). "Mortality dynamics and fossilisation pathways of a new metoposaurid-dominated multitaxic bonebed from India: a window into the Late Triassic vertebrate palaeoecosystem". Historical BiologyindeterminateAt least 52 specimens.Indeterminate phytosaurs.ClevosaurusC. nicholsiJaw fragments.A clevosaurid rhynchocephalian.SphenodontiaindeterminateIndeterminate rhynchocephalian.HyperodapedonH. huxleyiRare maxillary tooth plate.A large sized hyperodapedontine rhynchosaur.H. tikiensisVarious cranial and postcranial elements.A hyperodapedontine rhynchosaur.AzendohsaurusA. sp.TeethAn azendohsaurid allokotosaur.ProtecovasaurusP. sp.TeethAn indeterminate diapsid.GaltoniaG. sp.TeethAn indeterminate diapsid.
Synapsids Cynodont Cynodonts of the Tiki Formation Genus Species Material Notes GondwanadonDatta & Das, 1996 G. tapani A single molar A morganucodont Inditherium I. floris Three postcanine teeth A dromatheriid Rewaconodon R. indicus A partial jaw and three postcanine teeth A dromatheriid R. tikiensis Ruberodon R. roychowdhurii Five partial jaws A traversodontid Tikiodon T. cromptoni A single postcanine tooth A mammaliamorph Tikitherium T. copei A single postcanine tooth A mammaliaform. Initially described as a basal mammaliaform related to Docodonta, but later redescribed as a Neogene shrew fossil that was reworked into the older deposit. Cynodontia indet.
Amphibians Temnospondyls Temnospondyls of the Tiki Formation Genus Species Material Notes Compsocerops C. tikiensis A chigutisaurid temnospondyl MetoposaurusChatterjee & Majumdar, 1987 M. sp. A metoposaurid temnospondyl Panthasaurus P. maleriensis A metoposaurid temnospondylMetoposauridaeindeterminateAt least 655 specimensAn indeterminate metoposaurid.
Other Amphibians Other Amphibians of the Tiki Formation Genus Species Material Notes Eodiscoglossus E. spAn incomplete jaw A discoglossid frog
Actinopterygiis Actinopterygiis of the Tiki Formation Genus Species Material NotesGnathorhizaG. sp.Teeth.A gnathorhizid lungfish.PtychoceratodusP. oldhamiTeeth.A ptychoceratodontid lungfish. ActinopterygiiindeterminateAn indeterminate actinopterygii. CoelacanthidaeindeterminateAn indeterminate coelacanthid.
Chondrichthyes Chondrichthyes of the Tiki Formation Genus Species Material Notes CladodusKumar & Sharma, 2019 C. sp. Teeth. A ctenacanth.LonchidionL. estesiA hybodont.L. encumbensA hybodont.MooreodontusM. indicusTeeth.A xenacanthid.M. jainiTeeth.PristrisodusP. tikiensisTeeth.A hybodont, formerly known as Parvodus tikiensis and Lissodus duffini.TikiodontusT. asymmetricusTeeth.A xenacanthid.
Flora Flora of the Tiki Formation Genus Species Material NotesPagiophyllumPal, P.K. (1984). "Triassic plant megafossils from the Tiki Formation, South Rewa Gondwana Basin, India". The Palaeobotanist 32(3):253-309.P. boseiA Pinid.YabeiellaY. indicaA Cycadeoid.LepidopterisL. stormbergensisA Peltaspermaceae.DesmiophyllumD. singhiiA Coniferales.ElatocladusE. raoiA Coniferales.E. sp.E. denticulatusDicroidiumD. coriaceumA Corystospermales.D. giarensisD. zuberiD. cf. odontopteroidesD. sp.XylopterisX. sp.A Corystospermales.SphenobaieraS. janarensisA Ginkgoales.BaieraB. sp.A Ginkgoales.ThinnfeldiaT. hughesiA Pteridosperm.BaieroxylonChandra, S. & Tewari, R. (1991). "A Catalogue of Fossil Plants from India Part 2: Palaeozoic and Mesozoic Megafossils". 1-81B. cicatricumA Ginkgoales.
Correlations The Tiki Formation is considered a temporal equivalent of the Lower Maleri Formation. The majority of the Tiki Formation correlates with the Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina, the upper part of the Santa Maria Formation, and the overlying lower Caturrita Formation of Brazil, the Isalo II Beds of Madagascar, Lossiemouth Sandstone of Scotland, and the lower Tecovas Formation of the Chinle Group of North America.
See also List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations List of stratigraphic units with indeterminate dinosaur fossils
References