Danata Formation

Danata Formation
Type Geological formation
Location
Coordinates 38°38′N 55°48′E / 38.633°N 55.800°E / 38.633; 55.800Coordinates: 38°38′N 55°48′E / 38.633°N 55.800°E / 38.633; 55.800[1]
Country Turkmenistan

The Danata Formation (or Danatinskaya, Danatinsk) is an Upper Paleocene to Middle Eocene sedimentary succession in Turkmenistan. It is most famous for its fish-bearing hoizons (Ichthyofauna).[1] The formation for example crops out in the Kopet Dag mountain range in the border region of Turkmenistan and Iran.[1]

Fossils

The Danata Formation is famous for its ichthyofauna. The fish are found in a 9 m thick clay horizon in the middle of the succession, that has been dated as Upper Paleocene.[1] This includes fossils of the Turkmenidae family. Luvarus necopinatus was first described in this formation. Other fossils of fish include the genera Eospinus, Danatinia, Exellia, Turkmene and Avitoluvarus. The snake species Archaeophis turkmenicus has also been described.[2]

A similar fauna occurs in the Moler Formation in Denmark.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Prokofiev, Artém M. "The Late Paleocene fish fauna of Turkmenistan" (PDF). Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Head, Jason J.; Holroyd, Patricia A.; Hutchison, J. Howard; Ciochon, Russell L. (11 March 2005). "First report of snakes (Serpentes) from the Late Middle Eocene Pondaung Formation, Myanmar". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 25 (1): 246–250. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025%5B0246:FROSSF%5D2.0.CO;2.
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