Popo Agie Formation


The Popo Agie Formation is a Triassic geologic formation that crops out in western Wyoming, western Colorado, and Utah. It was deposited during the Late Triassic in fluvial and lacustrine environments that existed across much of what is now the American southwest. The earliest known dinosaur of the Laurasian continent, Ahvaytum, is discovered from the Popo Agie Formation. Dinosaurian trace fossils and fragmentary fossils of prehistoric reptiles and amphibians, including pseudosuchian reptiles and temnospondyl amphibians, have also been reported from this formation.

Paleobiota

Amphibians

TaxonSpeciesMemberMaterialNotesImages
ApachesaurusA. sp.Complete skullA metoposaurid temnospondyl, originally described as Anaschisma sp. and later Eupelor browni
AnaschismaA. browniComplete skullA metoposaurid temnospondyl
MetoposauridaeIndeterminateComplete skullOriginally described as Anaschisma browni

Reptiles

TaxonSpeciesMemberMaterialNotesImages
AhvaytumA. bahndooivecheUWGM 1975, a left astragalus, and UWGM 7549, a partial left femurA probable sauropodomorph dinosaur and the oldest known Laurasian dinosaur
HeptasuchusH. clarkiUW 11562, a partial skull and postcranial skeleton; UW 11563 through UW 11565, partial postcranial remains; both from Big Horn Mountains, WyomingA rauisuchian

BeesiiwoB. cooowuseUSNM 494329, a left maxilla and left dentary from Hole in the Wall, Wyoming; TxVP 46037.1, UWGM 7027 and UWGM 7028, maxillary fragments from Cottonwood Creek, WyomingA rhynchosaur, previously assigned to cf. Hyperodapedon sanjuanensis

PoposaurusP. gracilisUR 358, a partial ilium from Lander, Wyoming; UR 357, a partial skeleton including vertebrae, hips, and limb bonesA bipedal poposauroid first described from the Popo Agie Formation and known from more complete specimens from the Chinle Formation
Sulcimentisauria indet.IndeterminateA partial left humerus and right femurA 'silesaurid'

Synapsids

TaxonSpeciesMemberMaterialNotesImages
EubrachiosaurusE. browniFMNH UC 633, a partial left scapula, left humerus, and left pelvis from Lander, WyomingA dicynodont150px