Elliot Formation

The Elliot Formation unconformably overlies the Molteno Formation and is conformably overlain by the Clarens Formation. Due to the reddish colour of the rocks, the Elliot Formation is colloquially referred to as the “Red Beds” in older geologic literature.

The Elliot Formation is dominated by mudstones and siltstones that can be finely laminated. However, the internal structures in the mudstones are often not visible due to locally poor laminations. Calcareous nodules are also found in the mudstone layers and become more frequent up section into the UEF. The mudstones range in colour from greyish purple red in the LEF and turn a more brick red colour with more mature palaeosols in the UEF. Localized intraformational pebble conglomerates that comprise intrabasinal clasts that comprise mud chips, quartzite pebbles, pedogenic nodules, and fossil bone fragments only occur in the UEF. The lower and upper Elliot formations both contain sandstones but they vary in their internal geometries. The sandstones of the LEF mainly comprise laterally accreting channel deposits that are multi-story and contain trough, low angle, and planar, cross-bedding. Ripple cross laminations with good horizontal lamination are also present. In the UEF, sandstone beds are single story and mainly reflect downstream accretion channel geometries and are more tabular in appearance. Common internal sedimentary structures of UEF sandstones are planar, low angle cross-bedding, horizontal and ripple-cross laminations.

The LEF was deposited in a fluvio-lacustrine environment where rivers were more perennial and formed meandering channel geometries, as evidenced by the presence of lateral accretion. However, this depositional environment changed at the onset of the UEF deposits where evidence of shallower river channels, longer periods of floodplain stasis (mature palaeosols) and flash flood events (pedogenic nodule conglomerates) shows that the climate became more arid.{{Cite journal|date=2009-09-01|title=Tectonic evolution of the Cape and Karoo basins of South Africa|journal=Marine and Petroleum Geology|language=en|volume=26|issue=8|pages=1379–1412|doi=10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2009.01.022|issn=0264-8172|last1=Tankard|first1=Anthony|last2=Welsink|first2=Herman|last3=Aukes|first3=Peter|last4=Newton|first4=Robert|last5=Stettler|first5=Edgar|bibcode=2009MarPG..26.1379T }}{{Cite journal|date=1980-01-01|title=Meander channel, point bar, crevasse splay and aeolian deposits from the Elliot Formation in Barkly Pass, North-eastern Cape|url=https://journals.co.za/content/sajg/83/1/AJA10120750_1066|journal=South African Journal of Geology|language=en|volume=83|issue=1|issn=1012-0750}}{{Cite journal|date=2015-09-01|journal=South African Journal of Geology|language=en|volume=118|issue=3|pages=311–316|doi=10.2113/gssajg.118.3.311|issn=1012-0750|last1=Bordy|first1=E.M.|title=Lithostratigraphy of the Elliot Formation (Karoo Supergroup), South Africa|last2=Eriksson|first2=P.|bibcode=2015SAJG..118..311B |hdl=2263/55739|hdl-access=free}}{{Cite journal|date=2017-11-01|title=Magnetostratigraphy across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary in the main Karoo Basin|journal=Gondwana Research|language=en|volume=51|pages=177–192|doi=10.1016/j.gr.2017.07.009|issn=1342-937X|last1=Sciscio|first1=Lara|last2=De Kock|first2=Michiel|last3=Bordy|first3=Emese|last4=Knoll|first4=Fabien|bibcode=2017GondR..51..177S|hdl=10261/338607|hdl-access=free}}

The Elliot Formation is currently considered to correlate chronostratigraphically with geological formations of the Bodibeng Sandstone of the Tuli Basin in Botswana, the Omingonde Formation of the Etjo Basin in Namibia, and the Chinle Formation of the Colorado Plateau in Utah, United States.{{Cite journal|last1=Attridge|first1=J.|last2=Crompton|first2=A. W.|last3=Jenkins|first3=Farish A.|date=June 1985|title=The Southern African Liassic prosauropodMassospondylusdiscovered in North America|journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology|language=en|volume=5|issue=2|pages=128–132|doi=10.1080/02724634.1985.10011850|bibcode=1985JVPal...5..128A |issn=0272-4634}}{{Cite journal|date=September 2015|journal=South African Journal of Geology|language=en|volume=118|issue=3|pages=311–316|doi=10.2113/gssajg.118.3.311|issn=1012-0750|hdl=2263/55739|title=Lithostratigraphy of the Elliot Formation (Karoo Supergroup), South Africa|last1=Eriksson|first1=P.|last2=Bordy|first2=E. M.|bibcode=2015SAJG..118..311B |hdl-access=free}}{{Cite journal|date=2002-06-01|title=Changing Fluvial Environments and Vertebrate Taphonomy in Response to Climatic Drying in a Mid-Triassic Rift Valley Fill: The Omingonde Formation (Karoo Supergroup) of Central Namibia|journal=PALAIOS|language=en|volume=17|issue=3|pages=249–267|doi=10.1669/0883-1351(2002)017<0249:CFEAVT>2.0.CO;2|issn=0883-1351|last1=Smith|first1=R. M.H.|last2=Swart|first2=R.|bibcode=2002Palai..17..249S|s2cid=130316395 }}{{Cite journal|last1=Abdala|first1=Fernando|last2=Smith|first2=Roger M. H.|date=2009-09-12|title=A Middle Triassic cynodont fauna from Namibia and its implications for the biogeography of Gondwana|journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology|language=en|volume=29|issue=3|pages=837–851|doi=10.1671/039.029.0303|bibcode=2009JVPal..29..837A |s2cid=129096876|issn=0272-4634}}{{Cite journal|last=Walker|first=A. D.|date=1990-10-29|title=A revision of Sphenosuchus acutus Haughton, a crocodylomorph reptile from the Elliot Formation (late Triassic or early Jurassic) of South Africa|journal=Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B|language=en|volume=330|issue=1256|pages=1–120|doi=10.1098/rstb.1990.0185|issn=0962-8436}}{{Cite journal|date=1982-12-01|title=Triassic environments, climates and reptile evolution|journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology|language=en|volume=40|issue=4|pages=361–379|doi=10.1016/0031-0182(82)90034-7|issn=0031-0182|last1=Tucker|first1=Maurice E.|last2=Benton|first2=Michael J.|bibcode=1982PPP....40..361T|doi-access=free}}

The Elliot Formation is well known for its diverse dinosaur fossils. The most common dinosaur species is of the sauropodomorph species Massospondylus carinatus.Sues, H.D., Reisz, R.R., Hinic, S. and Raath, M.A., 2004. On the skull of Massospondylus carinatus Owen, 1854 (Dinosauria: Sauropodomorpha) from the Elliot and Clarens formations (Lower Jurassic) of South Africa. Annals of Carnegie Museum, 73(4), pp.239–257.{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272152111|title=Bone histology and growth trajectory of the prosauropod dinosaur Massospondylus carinatus Owen {{!}} Request PDF|last=Chinsamy|first=Anusuya|website=ResearchGate|language=en|access-date=2018-11-14}} Other species include Blikanasaurus cromptoni, Aardonyx celestae, Euskelosaurus browni, Antetonitrus ingenipes, Pulanesaura eocollum, and the largest sauropodomorph yet found, Ledumahadi mafube.{{Cite journal|last1=Galton|first1=Peter M.|last2=Heerden|first2=Jacques|date=April 1998|title=Anatomy of the prosauropod dinosaurBlikanasaurus cromptoni (Upper Triassic, South Africa), with notes on the other tetrapods from the lower Elliot Formation|journal=Paläontologische Zeitschrift|language=en|volume=72|issue=1–2|pages=163–177|doi=10.1007/bf02987824|bibcode=1998PalZ...72..163G |s2cid=128464155|issn=0031-0220}}{{Cite journal|last=Yates|first=Adam M.|date=2003|title=A definite prosauropod dinosaur from the Lower Elliot Formation (Norian: Upper Triassic) of South Africa|journal=Palaeontologia Africana|url=http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/16435|language=en|issn=0078-8554}}{{Cite journal|last=Barrett|first=Paul M.|date=2004-09-01|title=Sauropodomorph dinosaur diversity in the upper Elliot Formation (Massospondylus range zone: Lower Jurassic) of South Africa: research letter|url=https://journals.co.za/content/sajsci/100/9-10/EJC96290|journal=South African Journal of Science|language=en|volume=100|issue=9–10|issn=0038-2353}}{{Cite journal|last1=McPhee|first1=Blair|last2=Bordy|first2=Emese|last3=Sciscio|first3=Lara|last4=Choiniere|first4=Jonah|date=2017|title=The sauropodomorph biostratigraphy of the Elliot Formation of southern Africa: Tracking the evolution of Sauropodomorpha across the Triassic–Jurassic boundary|url=http://agro.icm.edu.pl/agro/element/bwmeta1.element.agro-42042c62-8c60-4bbf-9956-0e5997019d6c;jsessionid=D2105D03850E91AD1D78F71223AB6979|journal=Acta Palaeontologica Polonica|language=EN|volume=62|issue=3|doi=10.4202/app.00377.2017|issn=0567-7920|doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal|url=https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/sabinet/sajsci/2004/00000100/00000009/art00024|title=First record of a sauropod dinosaur from the upper Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic) of South Africa: research letter |last1=Hancox |first1=P. John |last2=Rubidge |first2=Bruce S. |last3=Yates |first3=Adam M. |journal=South African Journal of Science |volume=100 |issue=9 |date=1 September 2004 |pages=504–506}}{{Cite journal |first1=Blair W. |last1=McPhee |first2=Adam M. |last2=Yates |first3=Jonah N. |last3=Choiniere |first4=Fernando |last4=Abdala |date=2014-04-25 |title=The complete anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Antetonitrus ingenipes (Sauropodiformes, Dinosauria): implications for the origins of Sauropoda |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |language=en |volume=171 |issue=1 |doi=10.1111/zoj12127 |issn=1096-3642|doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal |date=2018-10-08|title=A Giant Dinosaur from the Earliest Jurassic of South Africa and the Transition to Quadrupedality in Early Sauropodomorphs|journal=Current Biology |language=en |volume=28 |issue=19 |pages=3143–3151.e7 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2018.07.063|pmid=30270189|issn=0960-9822|last1=McPhee|first1=B. W.|author2=Benson RBJ|last3=Botha-Brink|first3=J.|last4=Bordy|first4=E. M.|last5=Choiniere|first5=J. N.|doi-access=free|bibcode=2018CBio...28E3143M }}{{Cite journal |date=2018-10-08|title=Dinosaurs: Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad|journal=Current Biology|language=en|volume=28|issue=19|pages=R1160–R1163 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2018.08.025|pmid=30300605|issn=0960-9822|last1=Sander|first1=P. M.|last2=Lallensack|first2=J. N.|doi-access=free|bibcode=2018CBio...28R1160S }} Fossilised Massospondylus eggs, some with the fossilized remains of embryos intact, have been recovered from UEF deposits in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284616984|title=Preliminary report on a clutch of six dinosaurian eggs from the Upper Triassic Elliot Formation, Northern Orange Free State|last=Kitching|first=James|date=1979|journal=Palaeontologia Africana |volume=22 |pages=41–45 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Reisz |first1=Robert R. |last2=Evans |first2=David C.|last3=Sues|first3=Hans-Dieter|last4=Scott|first4=Diane|date=2010-12-02|title=Embryonic skeletal anatomy of the sauropodomorph dinosaurMassospondylusfrom the Lower Jurassic of South Africa|journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology|language=en|volume=30|issue=6|pages=1653–1665|doi=10.1080/02724634.2010.521604|bibcode=2010JVPal..30.1653R |s2cid=84599991 |issn=0272-4634}} Euskelosaurus fossils are more common in the LEF while Massospondylus are only found in the UEF. The basal ornithischian dinosaurs, Heterodontosaurus tucki, Lesothosaurus diagnosticus, Abrictosaurus consors, and Lycorhinus angustidens have also been recovered from the UEF.{{Cite journal|last=Knoll|first=Fabien|date=2002-07-08|title=Nearly complete skull ofLesothosaurus(Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Upper Elliot Formation (Lower Jurassic: Hettangian) of Lesotho|journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology|language=en|volume=22|issue=2|pages=238–243|doi=10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0238:ncsold]2.0.co;2|s2cid=85790601 |issn=0272-4634}}{{Cite journal |date=October 2005|title=The 'fabrosaurid' ornithischian dinosaurs of the Upper Elliot Formation (Lower Jurassic) of South Africa and Lesotho|journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society|language=en|volume=145|issue=2|pages=175–218|doi=10.1111/j.1096-3642.2005.00182.x|issn=1096-3642|last1=Butler|first1=Richard J.|doi-access=free}} In addition this formation has yielded various crocodylomorph species,{{Cite journal|last1=Clark|first1=James M.|last2=Sues|first2=Hans-Dieter|date=2002-08-21|title=Two new basal crocodylomorph archosaurs from the Lower Jurassic and the monophyly of the Sphenosuchia|journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society|language=en|volume=136|issue=1|pages=77–95|doi=10.1046/j.1096-3642.2002.00026.x|issn=1096-3642|doi-access=free}} namely Litargosuchus leptorhynchus, Sphenosuchus acutus and Orthosuchus stormbergi.{{Cite journal|last=Walker|first=A. D.|date=1990-10-29|title=A revision of Sphenosuchus acutus Haughton, a crocodylomorph reptile from the Elliot Formation (late Triassic or early Jurassic) of South Africa|journal=Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B|language=en|volume=330|issue=1256|pages=1–120|doi=10.1098/rstb.1990.0185|issn=0962-8436}}{{Cite journal|last=Nash|first=Diane|date=2009-08-20|title=A crocodile from the Upper Triassic of Lesotho|journal=Journal of Zoology|language=en|volume=156|issue=2|pages=163–179|doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1968.tb05927.x|issn=0952-8369}}Nash, D.S., 1975. The morphology and relationships of a crocodilian, Orthosuchus stormbergi, from the Upper Triassic of Lesotho. South African Museum.{{Cite journal|last1=Dollman|first1=K. N.|last2=Viglietti|first2=P. A.|last3=Choiniere|first3=J. N.|date=2017-10-12|title=A new specimen of Orthosuchus stormbergi (Nash 1968) and a review of the distribution of Southern African Lower Jurassic crocodylomorphs|journal=Historical Biology|volume=31|issue=5|language=en|pages=653–664|doi=10.1080/08912963.2017.1387110|s2cid=134134524|issn=0891-2963}} A large theropod dinosaur, Dracovenator regenti, has been found in the UEF.{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272152548|title=A new theropod dinosaur from the Early Jurassic of South Africa and its implication for the early evolution of theropods {{!}} Request PDF|website=ResearchGate|language=en|access-date=2018-11-16}} Synapsids from the formation include the dicynodont Pentasaurus goggai{{Cite journal|last=F.|first=Kammerer, Christian|date=2018|title=The first skeletal evidence of a dicynodont from the lower Elliot Formation of South Africa|journal=Palaeontologia Africana|url=http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/24148|language=en|issn=2410-4418}} the tritheledontid cynodont Elliotherium kersteni{{Cite journal |date=March 2006|title= Elliotherium Kersteni, A New Tritheledontid from the Lower Elliot Formation (Upper Triassic) of South Africa|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/jpaleontol/article-abstract/80/2/333/139547|journal=Journal of Paleontology|language=en|volume=80|issue=2|pages=333–342|doi=10.1666/0022-3360(2006)080[0333:EKANTF]2.0.CO;2|issn=0022-3360|citeseerx=10.1.1.557.9156|last1= Hancox|first1= P. J.|last2= Sidor|first2= C. A.|s2cid= 130003909}}{{Cite journal|last1=Fernando|first1=Abdala|last2=Ross|first2=Damiani|last3=Adam|first3=Yates|last4=Johann|first4=Neveling|date=2007|title=A non-mammaliaform cynodont from the Upper Triassic of South Africa: a therapsid Lazarus taxon?|journal=Palaeontologia Africana|url=http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/16099|language=en|issn=0078-8554}} and the mammaliaform Megazostrodon rudnerae.{{Cite journal|last=E|first=Gow, Chris|date=1986-06-30|title=A new skull of Megazostrodon (Mammalia, Triconodonta) from the Elliot Formation (Lower Jurassic) of Southern Africa|journal=Palaeontologia Africana|url=http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/16138|language=en|issn=0078-8554}} More recent vertebrate fossil finds near the town Qhemegha in the Eastern Cape have yielded possible fossil material of a poposauroid pseudosuchian. The mudstones of the LEF sometimes yield petrified wood, fossil plant matter, crustaceans, fishes, and turtles while the sandstones of the upper Elliot Formation more often contain various trace fossils. These include vertebrate trackways of basal ornithischian dinosaurs found in the Leribe, Mafeteng, and Mohales Hoek Districts of Lesotho. Possible trackways of the dicynodont Pentasaurus have been found on Morobong Hill in the Mohales Hoek District of Lesotho.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.palass.org/sites/default/files/media/publications/palaeontology/volume_41/vol41_part3_pp387-421.pdf|title=Late Triassic ecosystems of the Molteno Lower Elliot biome of southern Africa|first1=J.M. |last1=Anderson |first2=H.M. |last2=Anderson |first3=A.R.I. |last3=Cruickshank |journal=Palaeontology |volume=41 |issue=3 |pages=387–421 |date=1998}}{{Cite journal|date=1997-06-01|title=Sedimentology and vertebrate taphonomy of the Tritylodon Acme Zone: a reworked palaeosol in the Lower Jurassic Elliot Formation, Karoo Supergroup, South Africa|journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology|language=en|volume=131|issue=1–2|pages=29–50|doi=10.1016/S0031-0182(96)00143-5|issn=0031-0182|last1=Smith|first1=R.|last2=Kitching|first2=J.|bibcode=1997PPP...131...29S}}{{Cite journal|last=Knoll|first=Fabien|date=January 2005|title=The tetrapod fauna of the Upper Elliot and Clarens formations in the main Karoo Basin (South Africa and Lesotho)|journal=Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France|language=en|volume=176|issue=1|pages=81–91|doi=10.2113/176.1.81|issn=0037-9409}}{{Cite thesis|date=December 2015 |last=Sciscio |first=Lara |title=Position of the Triassic-Jurassic boundary in South Africa and Lesotho: a multidisciplinary approach aimed at improving the chronostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Elliot Formation, Stormberg Group|url=https://open.uct.ac.za/handle/11427/20847 |publisher=University of Cape Town |via=OpenUCT}}

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{{Reflist}}

{{Geology of South Africa|formations}}

Category:Stormberg Group

Category:Jurassic System of Africa

Category:Early Jurassic Africa

Category:Triassic System of Africa

Category:Late Triassic Africa

Category:Jurassic South Africa

Category:Triassic South Africa

Category:Norian Stage

Category:Rhaetian Stage

Category:Hettangian Stage

Category:Limestone formations

Category:Sandstone formations

Category:Mudstone formations

Category:Paleontology in Lesotho

Category:Paleontology in South Africa

Category:Karoo

Category:Geography of the Eastern Cape

Category:Geography of the Free State (province)

Category:Mafeteng District

Category:Maseru District

Category:Quthing District