New Vertebrate Fossil Site from the Early Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation, Sakon Nakhon Province, Northeastern Thailand
- 1 Sirindhorn Museum, Department of Mineral Resources, Sahatsakhan, Kalasin, Thailand
- 2 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham, Thailand
- 3 Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood and Mineral Resources, Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
- 4 Palaeontological Research and Education Centre, Mahasarakham University, Kantarawichai, Mahasarakham, Thailand
- 5 Phu Wiang Fossil Research Center and Dinosaur Museum, Department of Mineral Resources, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- 6 Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, Fukui, Japan
Abstract
A new vertebrate fossil site, “Phu Sung” in Sakon Nakhon Province was discovered. Various vertebrate fossils belonging to fresh water shark, bony fish, turtle, crocodile and dinosaur were found in reddish silty mudstone of the Early Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation of the Khorat Group. Crocodilian remains including a complete skull and partial articulated skeleton are very well preserved associated with turtle remains. Moreover, well preserved 19 turtle shells were found accumulated together. These discoveries will certainly fulfill our knowledge about these aquatic taxa from the Early Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation. The exceptional preservation of Phu Sung fossils could probably relate to the paleoenvironment in the Early Cretaceous of Thailand.
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