What is the critical geological unit that preserves the remains of Xenotarsosaurus?
Answer
Bajo Barreal Formation
The definitive provenance for all known specimens of *Xenotarsosaurus bonapartei* is the Bajo Barreal Formation. This geological marker is crucial for understanding the environment and precise age of the creature. The association with this specific formation serves as the locator for the animal's existence in the Late Cretaceous Patagonia. The dating of the formation itself, which has been revised, places *Xenotarsosaurus* within the Cenomanian to Turonian stages. Understanding the context of the Bajo Barreal Formation is inseparable from defining the existence of this particular abelisaurid, as the fossil record for this species is entirely restricted to the material recovered from it.
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?