Jaisalmer Formation


The Jaisalmer Formation is a Middle to Late Jurassic-aged geologic formation located in India near the city of Jaisalmer that consists mainly of marine deposits. The formation was first identified and defined by geologist Richard Dixon Oldham in 1886.
Dinosaur remains are among the known fossils recovered from this formation.
Strophodus jaisalmerensis, a hybodont, was named after this formation and the Jaisalmer District where its holotype was found.

Sub-units

The Badabag, Fort, Joyan and Hamira members represent the Middle Jurassic Bajocian and Bathonian stages, while the Jajiya and Kuldhar members represent the Middle Jurassic Callovian and the Late Jurassic Oxfordian stages.
The Fort Member is the most extensively studied and consists of fine to medium grain sandstones and oolitic limestones. The Badabag Member consists of intraformational conglomerate and is fossil bearing.

Paleoenvironment

The Jaisalmer district of India is a landlocked district in the state of Rajasthan. However, during the Middle Jurassic, the Jaisalmer Formation was located on the Tethyan coast of Gondwanan India. A marine paleoenvironment is supported by the presence of Hybodont sharks. The Kuldhar Member Limestone contained carbonate microfacies that also indicate a depositional environment composed mainly of lagoons, shoals and open marine environments.

Paleofauna

Dinosaurs

Sauropods

Theropods

Other reptiles

Fish

Crustaceans

Ichnofossils

  • ?Bichordites sp. – Ichnofossils
  • Planolites sp. – Ichnofossils
  • Rhizocorallium irregulare – Ichnofossils
  • Rhizocorallium jenense – Ichnofossils
  • Taenidium serpentinum – Ichnofossils
  • Thalassinoides sp. – Ichnofossils