Baruungoyot Formation

The Baruungoyot Formation 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, and was laid down roughly 72-71 million years ago. Given the new date for the start of the Maastrichtian a basal Maastrichtian age seems probable. The Baruungoyot Formation preserves an environment of sand dunes, created from wind-eroded rocks. 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.

An undescribed tyrannosaurid specimen is known from the formation.