What are the revised geological stages for Xenotarsosaurus found in the Bajo Barreal Formation?
Answer
Cenomanian to Turonian
The geological dating for *Xenotarsosaurus* has undergone reassessment, shifting it to the Cenomanian to Turonian stages, which represents a specific span within the Late Cretaceous period. Earlier assessments had tentatively placed the dinosaur in the Campanian stage. The revised dating, based on the re-assessment of the Bajo Barreal Formation where the fossils were found, suggests the animal thrived during this interval. The PaleoBioDB further supports this by indicating its first and last recorded appearance falls between 99.6 to 89.3 Million Years Ago (Ma), aligning squarely with the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary timeframe, rather than the later Cretaceous periods.
Related Questions
Where is the primary physical location centered for known Xenotarsosaurus fossils?What is the critical geological unit that preserves the remains of Xenotarsosaurus?What are the revised geological stages for Xenotarsosaurus found in the Bajo Barreal Formation?Which geologist discovered the rich fossil site of Xenotarsosaurus in 1980?Which paleontologist is honored by the specific epithet Xenotarsosaurus bonapartei?What anatomical feature caused the generic name Xenotarsosaurus to mean 'strange tarsus lizard'?Which cotype specimen includes the right hind limb (PVL 612) of Xenotarsosaurus?Which hadrosaurid shared the Cenomanian–Turonian Patagonian ecosystem with Xenotarsosaurus?In what year was the genus and species Xenotarsosaurus bonapartei formally described?What conflicting geological period is sometimes associated with Xenotarsosaurus in media like The Isle?