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Zigong, a famous historical and cultural city of China, is situated in southern Sichuan province and covers an area of about 433.13 km2, it is a hilled region that exposes a continuous and widespread Mesozoic red beds in which contain rich fossil vertebrates, especially the Jurassic fossil dinosaurs. Since 1915 of the first dinosaur fossil discovered by an American geologist Dr. George D. Louderback from Rongxian (Jung Hsien), more than 180 localities of fossil vertebrated have been found from Zigong region, among which about 130 localities of fossil dinosaurs. As a result, Zigong has become the most famous region of fossil dinosaurs and other vertebrates, and is named as the Hometown of Dinosaurs.

 

After the works of ninety years by numerous geologists and paleontologists from home and abroad, countless of fossil dinosaurs and other vertebrates have been excavated and a great of academic achievemens have been made. Especially in recent 30 years or more, a lot of important discoveries and historical breakthroughs have been achieved, Zigong has become a focus region to which paleontologists pay more attention. This book is a step systematic conclusion about the discoveries of fossil dinosaurs and other vertebrates from Zigong region and achievements of scientific researches as well as a few new finds from the aspect of the vertebrate assemblages. It is dedicated to Dr. George D. Louderback and all the people that have made contributions to the discoveries, excavations and studies of fossil dinosaurs and other vertebrates from Zigong region.

The Jurassic continental sediments in Zigong region are well developed. The thickness of the deposits is about 1034-2220m, composed mainly of grey limestones, purplish red mudstones and light grey sandstones, and covers about 75% of the earth surface of this region. These sediments present characteristic of the fluvial or lacustrine facies, and were classified from lower to upper as the early Jurassic Zhenzhuchong and Ziliujing for mations, the Middle Jurassic Xintiangou and Xiashaximiao (Lower Shaximiao) formations, the late Jurassic Shangshaximiao (Upper Shaximiao), Suining and Penglaizhen formations. Rich and various remains of dinosaurs and other vertebrates have been found in these strata and can be divided into three related faunas: the early Jurassic Prosauropoda-Lufengosaurus Fauna, the Middle Jurassic Sauropoda-Shunosaurus Fauna, and the Late Jurassic Sauropoda-Mamenchisaurus Fauna.

 

 

1.Early Jurassic Prosauropoda-Lufengosaurus Fauna
(1)Osteichthyes
(2)Dinosauria
2.Middle Jurassic Sauropoda-Shunosaurus Fauna
(1)Chondrichthyes
(2)Osteichthyes
(3)Amphibia
(4)Reptilia
(5)Dinosauria
3.Late Jurassic Sauropoda-Mamenchisaurus Fauna
(1)Reptilia
(2)Dinosauria

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