Löwenstein Formation

Löwenstein Formation
Stratigraphic range: Mid Norian (Alaunian) 215.6–212 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Keuper
Underlies	Trossingen Formation
Overlies	Mainhardt Formation
Thickness	At least 80 m
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone
Other	Marl
Location
Region	Europe
Country	Germany  Switzerland
Extent	Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg

The Löwenstein Formation (Stubensandstein in Baden-Württemberg, Burgsandstein in Bavaria) is a lithostratigraphic formation of the Keuper in Germany. It is underlain by the Mainhardt Formation and overlain by the Trossingen Formation. It dates back to the middle Norian.^[1]

Fauna

Theropod tracks and an unnamed herrerasaur genus are known from the Lower Stubensandstein.^[2]

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon		Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Archosaurs

Dinosaurs

Sauropodomorphs

Sauropodomorphs of the Stubensandstein
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Efraasia	E. minor		Lower
Plateosaurus[3]	P. gracilis[3]		Middle[4] Lower[2]	"[Twenty one] partial skeletons, isolated elements, [three] partial skulls, juvenile to adult."[5]	Yates assigned the type material of Sellosaurus gracilis to Plateosaurus gracilis [6]

Theropods

Theropods of the Stubensandstein
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Dolichosuchus[4]	D. cristatus[4]		Middle[4]	"Tibia"[7]	Actually indeterminate coelophysoid remains[4]
Halticosaurus[4]	H. longotarsus[4]		Middle[4]	"Mandibular fragment, vertebrae, humerus, illium, femur, metatarsal."[7]	Later found to be indeterminate coelophysoid remains[4]
Liliensternus	L. liliensterni
Procompsognathus[4]	P. triassicus[4]		Middle[4]	"Partial postcranial skeleton."[8]

Reptiles

Archosaurs of the Stubensandstein
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Aetosaurus	A. feratus		Lower
	A. crassicauda
Apatosuchus	A. orbitoangulatus		Lower	"Partial skull"
Mystriosuchus	M. ?
Nicrosaurus	N. kapffi		Middle
	N. meyeri
Paratypothorax	P. andressi		Middle
Saltoposuchus	S. connectens
	S. longipes
Tanystrosuchus	T. posthomus		Middle	" Neck vertebra"
Teratosaurus[4]	T. suevicus[4]		Middle[4]		Galton and Benton showed that Teratosaurus is actually a rauisuchian.[9][10]

Other Amniotes

• Cyclotosaurus
• Metoposaurus

See also

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Germany
• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Switzerland

References

1. Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Triassic, Europe)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 521–525. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
2. "17.2 Baden-Württemberg, Germany; 1. Lower Stubensandstein," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 524.
3. "17.2 Baden-Württemberg, Germany; '1. Lower Stubensandstein' and '2. Middle Stubensandstein,'" in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 524.
4. "17.2 Baden-Württemberg, Germany; 2. Middle Stubensandstein," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 524.
5. "Table 12.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 236.
6. Yates, A.M. (2003). "Species taxonomy of the sauropodomorph dinosaurs from the Löwenstein Formation (Norian, Late Triassic) of Germany". Palaeontology 46 (2): 317–337
7. "Table 3.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 50.
8. "Table 3.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 48.
9. Galton, P. M. (1985). "The poposaurid thecodontian Teratosaurus suevicus von Meyer, plus referred specimens mostly based on prosauropod dinosaurs". Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde, B, 116: 1-29.
10. Benton, M.J. (1986). "The late Triassic reptile Teratosaurus - a rauisuchian, not a dinosaur". Palaeontology 29: 293-301.

Bibliography

• Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; Osmólska, Halszka (2004), The Dinosauria, 2nd edition, Berkeley: University of California Press, pp. 1–880, ISBN 0-520-24209-2, retrieved 2019-02-21