Earth:Dinosaur Park Formation

Short description: Uppermost member of the Belly River Group geologic unit in Alberta, Canada

Dinosaur Park Formation Stratigraphic range: Late Cretaceous, Campanian, 76.5–74.4 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Dinosaur Park Formation exposed along the Red Deer River in Dinosaur Provincial Park, southeastern Alberta, Canada.
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Belly River Group
Underlies	Bearpaw Formation
Overlies	Oldman Formation
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone (lower) Mudstone and siltstone (upper)
Other	Bentonite and coal
Location
Coordinates
Paleocoordinates	[ ⚑ ] 56.4°N 75.8°W / 56.4; -75.8
Region	Alberta
Country	Canada
Extent	Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin
Type section
Named for	Dinosaur Provincial Park
Named by	Eberth, D.A. and Hamblin, A.P.
Year defined	1993

The Dinosaur Park Formation is the uppermost member of the Belly River Group (also known as the Judith River Group), a major geologic unit in southern Alberta. It was deposited during the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous, between about 76.5 and 74.4 million years ago. It was deposited in alluvial and coastal plain environments, and it is bounded by the nonmarine Oldman Formation below it and the marine Bearpaw Formation above it.

The Dinosaur Park Formation contains dense concentrations of dinosaur skeletons, both articulated and disarticulated, which are often found with preserved remains of soft tissues. Remains of other animals such as fish, turtles, and crocodilians, as well as plant remains, are also abundant. The formation has been named after Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the formation is well exposed in the badlands that flank the Red Deer River.

Geological setting

Restoration of the megafaunal dinosaurs of the Dinosaur Park Formation. From left to right: Chasmosaurus, Lambeosaurus, Styracosaurus, Scolosaurus, Prosaurolophus, Panoplosaurus, and a herd of Styracosaurus in the background

The Dinosaur Park Formation is composed of sediments that were derived from the erosion of the mountains to the west. It was deposited on an alluvial to coastal plain by river systems that flowed eastward and southeastward to the Bearpaw Sea, a large inland sea that was part of the Western Interior Seaway. That sea gradually inundated the adjacent coastal plain, depositing the marine shales of the Bearpaw Formation on top of the Dinosaur Park Formation.

The Dinosaur Park Formation is about 70 metres (230 ft) thick at Dinosaur Park. The lower portion of the formation was laid down in fluvial channel environments and consists primarily of fine- to medium-grained, crossbedded sandstones. The upper portion, which was deposited in overbank and floodplain environments, consists primarily of massive to laminated, organic-rich mudstones with abundant root traces, and thin beds of bentonite. The Lethbridge Coal Zone, which consists of several seams of low-rank coal interbedded with mudstones and siltstones, marks the top of the formation.

The sediments of the Dinosaur Park Formation are similar to those of the underlying Oldman Formation and they were originally included in that formation. The two formations are separated by a regional disconformity, however, and are distinguished by petrographic and sedimentologic differences. In addition, articulated skeletal remains and bonebeds are rare in the Oldman Formation but abundant in the Dinosaur Park Formation.

Biostratigraphy

The Dinosaur Park Formation can be divided into at least two distinct faunas. The lower part of the formation is characterized by the abundance of Corythosaurus and Centrosaurus. This group of species is replaced higher in the formation by a different ornithischian fauna characterized by the presence of Lambeosaurus and Styracosaurus. The appearance of several new, rare species of ornithischian at the very top of the formation may indicate that a third distinct fauna had replaced the second during the transition into younger, non-Dinosaur Park sediments, at the same time an inland sea transgresses onto land, but there are fewer remains here. An unnamed pachyrhinosaur, Vagaceratops irvinensis, and Lambeosaurus magnicristatus may be more common in this third fauna.

The timeline below follows a synthesis presented by Fowler (2017) with additional information from Arbour et al. 2009, Evans et al. 2009, and Penkalski, 2013. Megaherbivore Assemblage Zones (MAZ) follow data presented by Mallon et al., 2012. <timeline> ImageSize = width:1000px height:auto barincrement:15px PlotArea = left:10px bottom:50px top:10px right:10px

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color:HER bar:NAM4  from:-76.9    till:-76.5 text:Centrosaurus apertus
color:HER bar:NAM5  from:-76.4    till:-76.2 text:Styracosaurus albertensis
color:her bar:NAM6 from:-76.0    till:-75.9 text:Pachyrhinosaurinae sp.
color:HAD bar:NAM7  from:-76.9    till:-76.5 text:Gryposaurus notabilis
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color:HAD bar:NAM13 from:-76.2    till:-76.1 text:Lambeosaurus magnicristatus
color:HER bar:NAM17 from:-76.4    till:-76.3 text:Unescoceratops koppelhusae
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Amphibians

Remains of the following amphibians have been found in the formation:

Albanerpetontidae (extinct, salamander-like amphibians)

• Albanerpeton gracilis

Caudata (salamanders)

• Habrosaurus prodilatus
• Lisserpeton
• Opisthotriton kayi
• Scapherpeton tectum
• unnamed caudatan
• Two indeterminate caudatans

Salientia (frogs)

• Two unnamed salientans
• Tyrrellbatrachus brinkmani
• Hensonbatrachus kermiti

Dinosaurs

Remains of the following dinosaurs have been found in the formation:

Ornithischians

Remains of the following ornithischians have been found in the formation:

Ankylosaurs

Ankylosaurs from the Dinosaur Park Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Anodontosaurus	A. inceptus		Middle, 75.6 Ma ago	[Two] skulls with teeth, mandible, partially prepared skeleton, both cervical half-rings, and osteoderms.	An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid	File:Anodontosaurus lambei.tif
Dyoplosaurus	D. acutosquameus		Lower, 76.5 Ma ago	A partial skull and skeleton including pelvis, tail, and hindlimb with pes, and osteoderms.	An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid	File:Dyoplosaurus.tif
Edmontonia	E. rugosidens		Lower, 76.5-75.9 Ma ago	A partial skeleton including a skull, dorsal vertebrae, proximal, distal caudal, ribs, humerus, ulna, radius, manus, fragments of the pelvis, tibia, fibula?, osteoderms; anterior half of an articulated skeleton with in situ osteoderms, and paired first medial scutes.	A nodosaurine nodosaurid also known from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation and Two Medicine Formation
Euoplocephalus	E. tutus		Lower to Middle, ~76.4-75.6 Ma ago	[Four] skulls, mandible, cervical vertebrae, dorsal vertebrae, ribs, scapulae, humeri, radius, ulna, metacarpals, phalanx, ilium, ischium, femur, tibia, partial pes, sacrum, cervical half-rings, and osteoderms.	An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid	File:Euoplocephalus TMP 1991.127.1.tif
Panoplosaurus	P. mirus		Middle, 75.6 Ma ago	Skull with lower jaws, isolated teeth, cervical vertebrae, dorsal vertebrae, sacral vertebrae, cervical ribs, dorsal ribs, scapulocoracoid, humerus, manus, tibia, fibula, ossified intersternal plate, a pair of ossified xiphoid processes, pes, and in situ osteoderms.	A nodosaurine nodosaurid
Platypelta	P. coombsi		Lower, 77.5-76.5 Ma ago	A well-preserved skull, mandibles, teeth, cervical and dorsal vertebrae, ribs, complete pelvis, both scapulocoracoids, both humeri and radii, both cervical half-rings, and osteoderms.	An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid	File:Platypelta AMNH 5337.tiff
Scolosaurus	S. cutleri		Lower, 76.5 Ma ago or more	A nearly complete skeleton, a skull, cervical, dorsal, and caudal vertebrae, ribs, scapula, coracoid, humeri, radii, ilium, ischium, femur, tibia, fibula, [one] cervical half-ring, and osteoderms.	An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid briefly thought to be synonymous with Euoplocephalus. It possibly came from the upper layers of the underlying Oldman Formation.	File:Euoplocephalus ROM1930.tif
	S. thronus		Upper, 75 Ma ago	A partial skeleton including a skull, dorsal vertebrae, ?complete synsacrum, sacral ribs, caudal vertebrae, scapula, partial ilia, humerus, cervical half-rings, osteoderms, and skin impressions.	An ankylosaurine ankylosaurid

Ceratopsians

An unnamed Pachyrhinosaurus-like taxon has been recovered from the formation.

Ceratopsians from the Dinosaur Park Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Centrosaurus	C. apertus		Middle, 76.2-75.5Ma ago	"[Fifteen] skulls, several skeletons, all adult; abundant bone-bed material with rare juveniles and subadults." C. nasicornis may be a synonym.	A centrosaurine ceratopsid
Chasmosaurus	C. belli		Middle, 76–75.5Ma ago	"[Twelve] skulls, several skeletons."	A chasmosaurine ceratopsid
	C. russelli		Lower, 76.5-76Ma ago	"[Six] complete or partial skulls."
Mercuriceratops	M. gemini		Lower, ~77Ma ago	"one apomorphic squamosal"	A chasmosaurine ceratopsid
Monoclonius	M. lowei				A dubious centrosaurine ceratopsid. Possibly synonymous with Centrosaurus.
Pentaceratops	P. aquilonius		Uppermost, 74.8 MA	two frill fragments	A dubious chasmosaurine ceratopsid that may be the same species as Spiclypeus shipporum.
Spinops	S. sternbergorum		Lower, 76.5Ma	"partial parietal bone, partial dentary, unidentifiable limb fragments, partial skull, and partial right squamosal."	A centrosaurine ceratopsid.It may actually be from the upper Oldman Formation.
Styracosaurus	S. albertensis		Upper, 75.5-75.2Ma ago	"[Two] skulls, [three] skeletons, additional material in bone beds."	A centrosaurine ceratopsid
Unescoceratops	U. koppelhusae			Partial lower jaw	A leptoceratopsid thought to have been between one and two meters long and less than 91 kilograms. Its teeth were the roundest of all leptoceratopsids.
Vagaceratops	V. irvinensis		Upper, 75Ma ago	"[Three] skulls, skeleton lacking tail."	A chasmosaurine ceratopsid species previously classified as a species of Chasmosaurus.

Ornithopods

At least one indeterminate thescelosaurid specimen has been recovered from the formation.

In a 2001 review of hadrosaur eggshell and hatchling material from the Dinosaur Park Formation, Darren H. Tanke and M. K. Brett-Surman concluded that hadrosaurs nested in both the ancient upland and lowlands of the formation's depositional environment. The upland nesting grounds may have been preferred by the less common hadrosaurs, like Brachylophosaurus or Parasaurolophus. However, the authors were unable to determine what specific factors shaped nesting ground choice in the formation's hadrosaurs. They suggested that behavior, diet, soil condition, and competition between dinosaur species all potentially influenced where hadrosaurs nested.

Sub-centimeter fragments of pebbly-textured hadrosaur eggshell have been reported from the Dinosaur Park Formation. This eggshell is similar to the hadrosaur eggshell of Devil's Coulee in southern Alberta as well as that of the Two Medicine and Judith River Formations in Montana, United States. While present, dinosaur eggshell is very rare in the Dinosaur Park Formation and is only found in two different microfossil sites. These sites are distinguished by large numbers of pisidiid clams and other less common shelled invertebrates like unionid clams and snails. This association is not a coincidence as the invertebrate shells would have slowly dissolved and released enough basic calcium carbonate to protect the eggshells from naturally occurring acids that otherwise would have dissolved them and prevented fossilization.

In contrast with eggshell fossils, the remains of very young hadrosaurs are actually somewhat common. Darren Tanke has observed that an experienced collector could actually discover multiple juvenile hadrosaur specimens in a single day. The most common remains of young hadrosaurs in the Dinosaur Park Formation are dentaries, bones from limbs and feet, as well as vertebral centra. The material showed little or none of the abrasion that would have resulted from transport, meaning the fossils were buried near their point of origin. Bonebeds 23, 28, 47, and 50 are productive sources of young hadrosaur remains in the formation, especially bonebed 50. The bones of juvenile hadrosaurs and fossil eggshell fragments are not known to have preserved in association with each other, despite both being present in the formation.

Ornithopods from the Dinosaur Park Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Corythosaurus	C. casuarius		Lower-Middle, 76.5-75.5Ma ago	"Approximately [ten] articulated skulls and associated postcrania, [ten to fifteen] articulated skulls, isolated skull elements, juvenile to adult."	A lambeosaurin lambeosaurine hadrosaur
Gryposaurus	G. notabilis		Lower, 76.2-76Ma ago	"Approximately [ten] complete skulls, [twelve] fragmentary skulls, associated postcrania."	A kritosaurin saurolophine hadrosaur
Lambeosaurus	L. lambei		Upper, 75.5-75Ma ago	"Approximately [seven] articulated skulls with associated postcrania, [possibly ten] articulated skulls, isolated skull elements, juvenile to adult."
	L. magnicristatus		Upper/Bearpaw Formation, 74.8Ma ago	"[Two] complete skulls, one with associated, articulated postcrania."
Parasaurolophus	P. walkeri		Lower, 76.5-75.3Ma ago	"Complete skull and postcranial skeleton."	A parasaurolophin lambeosaurine hadrosaur.
Prosaurolophus	P. maximus		Upper, 75.5 – 74.8 Ma	"[Twenty to twenty-five] individuals, including at least [seven] articulated skulls and associated postcrania."	A saurolophin saurolophine hadrosaur

Pachycephalosaurs

Pachycephalosaurs from the Dinosaur Park Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Foraminacephale	F. brevis		Also present in the Oldman Formation	Frontoparetal dome, various other skull fragments including juvenile and subadult material	Once thought to be a species of Stegoceras
Gravitholus	G. albertae			"Frontoparietal dome."	Potentially synonymous with Stegoceras validum.
Hanssuesia	H. sternbergi		Lower, also present in the Oldman Formation and Judith River Formation		Potentially synonymous with Stegoceras validum.
Sphaerotholus	S. lyonsi		Upper, 76.10 ± 0.5 Ma	Right squamosal
Stegoceras	S. validum			Specimens including frontoparietal dome.
"Microcephale"					A nomen nudum.

Theropods

In the Dinosaur Park Formation, small theropods are rare due to the tendency of their thin-walled bones to be broken or poorly preserved. Small bones of small theropods that were preyed upon by larger ones may have been swallowed whole and digested. In this context, the discovery of a small theropod dinosaur with preserved tooth marks was especially valuable. Possible indeterminate avimimid remains are known from the formation.

Ornithomimids

Ornithomimids from the Dinosaur Park Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Ornithomimus	O. sp.			Type specimen	An ornithomimid, possibly a species of Struthiomimus.
Qiupalong	Q. sp.			Several specimens	An ornithomimid, possibly a radiation of this genus from Asia.
Rativates	R. evadens			Type specimen	An ornithomimid, formerly a specimen of Struthiomimus.

Oviraptorosaurs

Oviraptorosaurs from the Dinosaur Park Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Caenagnathus	C. collinsi			Mandible, type specimen	A caenagnathid which rivalled Anzu in size.
Chirostenotes	C. pergracilis			Several fragmentary specimens, type specimen	A mid-sized caenagnathid.
Citipes	C. elegans			Several fragmentary specimens, type specimen	Smallest caenagnathid from the formation.
Macrophalangia	M. canadensis				Junior synonym of Chirostenotes pergracilis

Paravians

A new taxon of troodontid based solely on teeth is known from the upper part of the formation.

Paravians from the Dinosaur Park Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
cf. Baptornis	Indeterminate				A hesperornithine bird
cf. Cimolopteryx	Indeterminate			Partial coracoid	A possible charadriiform bird
Dromaeosaurus	D. albertensis			Several specimens and teeth, type specimen	A dromaeosaurid
Hesperonychus	H. elizabethae			Hip bones and partial toes and claws, type specimen	A microraptorine dromaeosaur, also found in the Oldman Formation
Latenivenatrix	L. mcmasterae			Hip bones, pelvis, skull fragments, type specimen	A large troodontid measuring 3–3.5 m (9.8–11.5 ft).
cf. Palintropus	Unnamed			Partial shoulder girdles	An ambiortiform bird
cf. Paronychodon	cf. P. lacustris			Teeth	An indeterminate maniraptoran, also found in the Judith River
cf. Pectinodon	Indeterminate			Teeth	A troodont
Polyodontosaurus	P. grandis			Dentary, type specimen	Nomen dubium. Possibly synonymous with Latenivenatrix.
Richardoestesia	R. gilmorei			Mandible, type specimen	A dromaeosaurid
	R. isosceles			Teeth
Saurornitholestes	S. langstoni			Incomplete skeleton and teeth, type specimen. A dentary referred to Saurornitholestes was discovered that preserved tooth marks left by a young tyrannosaur.	A dromaeosaurid
Stenonychosaurus	S. inequalis			Nearly complete skeleton and other partial skeletons, type specimen	A troodontid once thought to be a species of Troodon

Tyrannosaurs

Tyrannosaurs from the Dinosaur Park Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Daspletosaurus		Middle-Upper, 75.6-75Ma ago	Several specimens	A tyrannosaurine tyrannosaurid, also present in the Bearpaw Formation.
Gorgosaurus	G. libratus		Lower-Middle, 76.6-75.1Ma ago	Numerous specimens, type specimen

Other reptiles

Choristoderes

Choristoderes, or champsosaurs, were aquatic reptiles. Small examples looked like lizards, while larger types were superficially similar to crocodilians. Remains of the following Choristoderes have been found in the formation:

• Champsosaurus (at least 3 species)
• Cteniogenys sp. cf. antiquus (possibly another genus)

Crocodylians

Remains of the following Crocodylians have been found in the formation:

• Albertochampsa
• Leidyosuchus
• at least 1 unnamed taxon

Lizards

Remains of the following lizards have been found in the formation:

• Helodermatids
  • Labrodioctes
• Necrosaurids
  • Parasaniwa
• Teiids
  • Glyptogenys
  • Socognathus
• Varanids
  • Palaeosaniwa
• Xenosaurids
  • ?Exostinus

Plesiosaurs

Remains of the following Plesiosaurs have been found in the formation:

• Fluvionectes
• indeterminate polycotylids (shorter-necked)

Pterosaurs

Remains of the following pterosaurs have been found in the formation:

• Cryodrakon (known from small and large specimens)
• 1 unnamed non-azhdarchid pterosaur

Turtles

Remains of the following turtles have been found in the formation:

• Adocus
• "Apalone"
• Aspideretoides (3 species)
• Basilemys
• Boremys
• Judithemys
• Neurankylus
• Plesiobaena
• 2 indeterminate taxa

Mammals

Remains of the following mammals have been found in the formation:

• Multituberculata
  • Cimexomys sp.
  • Cimolodon spp.
  • Cimolomys clarki
  • Meniscoessus major
  • Mesodma primaeva
  • unnamed multituberculates
• Metatherians
  • Alphadon halleyi
  • Eodelphis browni
  • E. cutleri
  • 5 species of "Pediomys"
  • Turgidodon russelli
  • T. praesagus
• Eutherians
  • Cimolestes sp. (uncertain taxonomy)
  • Gypsonictops lewisi
  • Paranyctoides sternbergi
  • Unknown therians: at least 1 species

Fish

Remains of the following fish have been found in the formation:

• Chondrichthyans
  • Cretorectolobus olsoni (a carpet shark)
  • Eucrossorhinus microcuspidatus (a carpet shark)
  • Ischyrhiza mira (a sclerorhynchid)
  • Meristodonoides montanensis (a shark)
  • Myledaphus bipartitus (a ray)
  • Protoplatyrhina renae (a guitarfish)
  • indeterminate orectolobid
• Acipenseriformes (sturgeons)
  • "Acipenser albertensis"
  • Anchiacipenser acanthaspis
  • unnamed sturgeon
  • unnamed paddlefish
• Holostean fish
  • Lepisosteus occidentalis (the gar)
  • unnamed bowfin
  • at least 2 other holosteans
• Teleost fish
  • Belonostomus longirostris
  • Cretophareodus (an osteoglossomorph)
  • Coriops amnicolus
  • Estesesox foxi
  • Oldmanesox
  • Paralbula (including Phyllodus)
  • Paratarpon apogerontus (an elopomorph, like the tarpon)
  • at least 8 other teleosts

Invertebrates

Remains of the following invertebrates have been found in the formation:

• Freshwater bivalves
  • Fusconaia
  • Lampsilis
  • Sphaerium (2 species)
• Freshwater gastropods
  • Campeloma (2 species)
  • Elimia
  • Goniobasis (3 species)
  • Hydrobia
  • Lioplacodes (2 species)

Flora

Plant body fossils

The following plant body fossils have been found in the formation:

• various ferns
• Equisetum (Equisetaceae)
• Gymnosperms
  • Platyspiroxylon (Cupressaceae)
  • Podocarpoxylon (Podocarpaceae)
  • Elatocladus (Taxodiaceae)
  • Sequoia (Taxodiaceae)
  • Sequoiaxylon (Taxodiaceae)
  • Taxodioxylon (Taxodiaceae)
• Ginkgos
  • Baiera
  • Ginkgoites
• Angiosperms
  • Artocarpus (Moraceae)
  • Cercidiphyllum (Cercidiphyllaceae)
  • Dombeyopsis (Sterculiaceae)
  • Menispermites (Menispermaceae)
  • Pistia (Araceae)
  • Platanus (Platanaceae)
  • Vitis (Vitaceae)
  • Trapa (Trapaceae)

Palynomorphs

Palynomorphs are organic-walled microfossils, like spores, pollen, and algae. The following palynomorphs have been found in the formation:

• Unknown producers
  • at least 8 species
• Fungi
  • at least 35 taxa
• Chlorophyta (green algae and blue-green algae)
  • at least 12 species
• Pyrrhophyta (dinoflagellates, a type of marine algae)
  • unassigned cysts
• Bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts)
  • Anthocerotophyta (hornworts)
    • at least 5 species
  • Marchantiophyta (liverworts)
    • at least 14 species
  • Bryophyta (mosses)
    • at least 5 species
• Lycopodiophyta
  • Lycopodiaceae (club mosses)
    • at least 11 species
  • Selaginellaceae (small club mosses)
    • at least 6 species
  • Isoetaceae (quillworts)
    • at least 1 species
• Polypodiophyta
  • Osmundaceae (cinnamon ferns)
    • at least 6 species
  • Schizaeaceae (climbing ferns)
    • at least 20 species
  • Gleicheniaceae (Gleichenia and allies; coral ferns)
    • at least 5 species
  • Cyatheaceae (Cyathea and allies)
    • at least 4 species
  • Dicksoniaceae (Dicksonia and allies)
    • at least 3 species
  • Polypodiaceae (ferns)
    • at least 4 species
  • Matoniaceae
    • at least 1 species
  • Marsileaceae
    • at least 1 species
• Pinophyta (gymnosperms)
  • Cycadaceae (cycads)
    • at least 3 species
  • Caytoniaceae
    • at least 1 species
  • Pinaceae (pines)
    • at least 4 species
  • Cupressaceae (cypresses)
    • at least 3 species
  • Podocarpaceae (Podocarpus and allies)
    • at least 4 species
  • Cheirolepidiaceae
    • at least 2 species
  • Ephedraceae (Mormon teas)
    • at least 6 species
  • Unknown gymnosperms: at least 3 species
• Magnoliophyta (angiosperms)
  • Magnoliopsida (dicots)
    • Buxaceae (boxwood)
      • at least 1 species
    • Gunneraceae (gunneras)
      • at least 1 species
    • Salicaceae (willows, cottonwood, quaking aspen)
      • at least 1 species
    • Droseraceae (sundews)
      • at least 1 species
    • Olacaceae (tallowwood)
      • at least 2 species
    • Loranthaceae (showy mistletoes)
      • at least 1 species
    • Sapindaceae (soapberry)
      • at least 1 species
    • Aceraceae (maples)
      • at least 1 species
    • Proteaceae (proteas)
      • at least 9 species
    • Compositae (sunflowers)
      • at least 1 species
    • Fagaceae (beeches, oaks, chestnuts)
      • at least 2 species
    • Betulaceae (birches, alders)
      • at least 1 species
    • Ulmaceae (elms)
      • at least 1 species
    • Chenopodiaceae (goosefoots)
      • at least 1 species
  • Liliopsida (monocots)
    • Liliaceae (lilies)
      • at least 6 species
    • Cyperaceae (sedges)
      • at least 1 species
    • Sparganiaceae (bur-reeds)
      • possibly 1 species
    • Unknown angiosperms: at least 88 species

Timeline of new taxa

The following timeline displays valid taxa first discovered in the dinosaur park formation. Some species may have been referred to other genera subsequent to their initial description. <timeline> ImageSize = width:1000px height:auto barincrement:15px PlotArea = left:10px bottom:50px top:10px right:10px

Period = from:1850 till:2100 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:50 start:1850 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:10 start:1850 TimeAxis = orientation:hor AlignBars = justify

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 id:holocene   value:rgb(0.999,0.95,0.88)

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bar:NAM12
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bar:periodtop
from: 1850    till: 1860    color:1800syears    text:50s
from: 1860    till: 1870    color:1800syears    text:60s
from: 1870    till: 1880    color:1800syears    text:70s
from: 1880    till: 1890    color:1800syears    text:80s
from: 1890    till: 1900    color:1800syears    text:90s
from: 1900    till: 1910    color:1900syears    text:00s
from: 1910    till: 1920    color:1900syears    text:10s
from: 1920    till: 1930    color:1900syears    text:20s
from: 1930    till: 1940    color:1900syears    text:30s
from: 1940    till: 1950    color:1900syears    text:40s
from: 1950    till: 1960    color:1900syears    text:50s
from: 1960    till: 1970    color:1900syears    text:60s
from: 1970    till: 1980    color:1900syears    text:70s
from: 1980    till: 1990    color:1900syears    text:80s
from: 1990    till: 2000    color:1900syears    text:90s
from: 2000    till: 2010    color:2000syears    text:00s
from: 2010    till: 2020    color:2000syears    text:10s
from: 2020    till: 2030    color:2000syears    text:20s
from: 2030    till: 2040    color:2000syears    text:30s
from: 2040    till: 2050    color:2000syears    text:40s
from: 2050    till: 2060    color:2000syears    text:50s
from: 2060    till: 2070    color:2000syears    text:60s
from: 2070    till: 2080    color:2000syears    text:70s
from: 2080    till: 2090    color:2000syears    text:80s
from: 2090    till: 2100    color:2000syears    text:90s

bar:eratop
from: 1850    till: 1900    color:1800s    text:19th
from: 1900    till: 2000    color:1900s    text:20th
from: 2000    till: 2100    color:2000s    text:21st

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color:1900s bar:NAM1 at:1902 mark:(line,black) text:Euoplocephalus
color:1800s bar:NAM2 at:1902 mark:(line,black) text:"Monoclonius" belli
color:1900s bar:NAM3 at:1902 mark:(line,black) text:"Ornithomimus" altus
color:1900s bar:NAM4 at:1902 mark:(line,black) text:Stegoceras & S. validum
color:1900s bar:NAM5 at:1902 mark:(line,black) text:"Stereocephalus" tutus
color:1900s bar:NAM6 at:1904 mark:(line,black) text:Centrosaurus & C. apertus
color:1800s bar:NAM7 at:1913 mark:(line,black) text:Styracosaurus & S. albertensis
color:1900s bar:NAM8 at:1914 mark:(line,black) text:Chasmosaurus
color:1900s bar:NAM9 at:1914 mark:(line,black) text:Corythosaurus & C. casuarius
color:1900s bar:NAM10 at:1914 mark:(line,black) text:Gorgosaurus & G. libratus
color:1900s bar:NAM11 at:1914 mark:(line,black) text:Gryposaurus & G. notabilis
color:1800s bar:NAM12 at:1916 mark:(line,black) text:Prosaurolophus & P. maximus
color:1800s bar:NAM13 at:1917 mark:(line,black) text:Struthiomimus
color:1900s bar:NAM14 at:1919 mark:(line,black) text:Panoplosaurus & P. mirus
color:1900s bar:NAM15 at:1922 mark:(line,black) text:Dromaeosaurus & D. albertensis
color:1900s bar:NAM16 at:1922 mark:(line,black) text:Parasaurolophus & P. walkeri
color:1800s bar:NAM17 at:1923 mark:(line,black) text:Lambeosaurus & L. lambei
color:1900s bar:NAM18 at:1924 mark:(line,black) text:Chirostenotes & C. gracilis
color:1900s bar:NAM19 at:1924 mark:(line,black) text:Dyoplosaurus & D. acutosquameus
color:1900s bar:NAM20 at:1928 mark:(line,black) text:Scolosaurus & S. cutleri
color:1900s bar:NAM21 at:1929 mark:(line,black) text:Anodontosaurus
color:1900s bar:NAM22 at:1932 mark:(line,black) text:"Stenonychosaurus" inequalis
color:1900s bar:NAM23 at:1935 mark:(line,black) text:Lambeosaurus magnicristatus
color:1900s bar:NAM24 at:1940 mark:(line,black) text:Chasmosaurus russeli
color:1900s bar:NAM25 at:1943 mark:(line,black) text:Hanssuesia sternbergi
color:1900s bar:NAM1 at:1970 mark:(line,black) text:Daspletosaurus & D. torosus
color:1900s bar:NAM2 at:1978 mark:(line,black) text:Saurornitholestes & S. langstoni
color:1900s bar:NAM3 at:1979 mark:(line,black) text:Gravitholus & G. albertae
color:1900s bar:NAM4 at:1990 mark:(line,black) text:Richardoestesia & R. gilmorei
color:1900s bar:NAM5 at:2001 mark:(line,black) text:"Chasmosaurus" irvinensis
color:1900s bar:NAM6 at:2009 mark:(line,black) text:Hesperonychus & H. elizabethae
color:1800s bar:NAM7 at:2010 mark:(line,black) text:Vagaceratops
color:1800s bar:NAM8 at:2012 mark:(line,black) text:Unescoceratops & U. koppelhusae
color:1900s bar:NAM9 at:2013 mark:(line,black) text:Leptorhynchos & L. gaddisi
color:1900s bar:NAM10 at:2016 mark:(line,black) text:Rativates & R. evadens
color:1900s bar:NAM11 at:2017 mark:(line,black) text:Latenivenatrix & L. mcmasteri
color:1900s bar:NAM12 at:2019 mark:(line,black) text:Cryodrakon & C. boreas

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from: 1870    till: 1880    color:1800syears    text:70s
from: 1880    till: 1890    color:1800syears    text:80s
from: 1890    till: 1900    color:1800syears    text:90s
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from: 1910    till: 1920    color:1900syears    text:10s
from: 1920    till: 1930    color:1900syears    text:20s
from: 1930    till: 1940    color:1900syears    text:30s
from: 1940    till: 1950    color:1900syears    text:40s
from: 1950    till: 1960    color:1900syears    text:50s
from: 1960    till: 1970    color:1900syears    text:60s
from: 1970    till: 1980    color:1900syears    text:70s
from: 1980    till: 1990    color:1900syears    text:80s
from: 1990    till: 2000    color:1900syears    text:90s
from: 2000    till: 2010    color:2000syears    text:00s
from: 2010    till: 2020    color:2000syears    text:10s
from: 2020    till: 2030    color:2000syears    text:20s
from: 2030    till: 2040    color:2000syears    text:30s
from: 2040    till: 2050    color:2000syears    text:40s
from: 2050    till: 2060    color:2000syears    text:50s
from: 2060    till: 2070    color:2000syears    text:60s
from: 2070    till: 2080    color:2000syears    text:70s
from: 2080    till: 2090    color:2000syears    text:80s
from: 2090    till: 2100    color:2000syears    text:90s

bar:era
from: 1850    till: 1900    color:1800s    text:19th
from: 1900    till: 2000    color:1900s    text:20th
from: 2000    till: 2100    color:2000s    text:21st

</timeline>

See also

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations

References

• Arbour, V. M.; Burns, M. E.; Sissons, R. L. (2009). "A redescription of the ankylosaurid dinosaur Dyoplosaurus acutosquameus Parks, 1924 (Ornithischia: Ankylosauria) and a revision of the genus". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29 (4): 1117–1135. doi:10.1671/039.029.0405. 
• Braman, D.R., and Koppelhus, E.B. 2005. Campanian palynomorphs. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 101–130.
• Brinkman, D.B. 2005. Turtles: diversity, paleoecology, and distribution. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 202–220.
• Caldwell, M.W. The squamates: origins, phylogeny, and paleoecology. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds). 2005. Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 235–248.
• Currie, P.J. 2005. Theropods, including birds. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 367–397.
• Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds). 2005. Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 648 p.
• Eberth, D.A. 2005. The geology. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 54–82.
• Fox, R.C. 2005. Late Cretaceous mammals. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 417–435.
• K. Gao and Brinkman, D.B. 2005. Choristoderes from the Park and its vicinity. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 221–234.
• Gardner, J.D. 2005. Lissamphibians. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 186–201.
• Godfrey, S.J., and Currie, P.J. 2005. Pterosaurs. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 292–311.
• Johnston, P.A., and Hendy, A.J.W. 2005. Paleoecology of mollusks from the Upper Cretaceous Belly River Group. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 139–166.
• Koppelhus, E.B. 2005. Paleobotany. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 131–138.
• Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Dinosaur Park Formation". http://cgkn1.cgkn.net/weblex/weblex_litho_detail_e.pl?00053:004018. 
• Neuman, A.G., and Brinkman, D.B. 2005. Fishes of the fluvial beds. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 167–185.
• Ryan, M.J., and Evans, D.C. 2005. Ornithischian dinosaurs. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 312–348.
• Sato, T., Eberth, D.A., Nicholls, E.L., and Manabe, M. 2005. Plesiosaurian remains from non-marine to paralic sediments. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 249–276.
• Tanke, D.H. and Brett-Surman, M.K. 2001. Evidence of Hatchling and Nestling-Size Hadrosaurs (Reptilia:Ornithischia) from Dinosaur Provincial Park (Dinosaur Park Formation: Campanian), Alberta, Canada. pp. 206–218. In: Mesozoic Vertebrate Life—New Research Inspired by the Paleontology of Philip J. Currie. Edited by D.H. Tanke and K. Carpenter. Indiana University Press: Bloomington. xviii + 577 pp.
• Xiao-Chun Wu. 2005. Crocodylians. In: Currie, P.J., and Koppelhus, E.B. (eds), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 277-291