Important early dinosaur fauna (prosauropods, sauropods, ornithischians, tetrapod trackways etc), amphibians, turtles, crocodilians, advanced therapsids, primitive mammalsRich fossil reptile fauna dominated by early dinosaurs (principally sauropodomorphs like Massospondylus, “Euskelesaurus”), ornithischians, rare theropods and crocodilomorphs as well as rare amphibians, turtles, fish, advanced mammal-like reptiles (cynodont therapsids) including early mammals. Other fossil elements include petrified woods, phyllopod crustaceans (conchostacans or “clam shrimps”), insects, and trace fossils, principally tetrapod trackways, root casts, possible termitaria.
Key evidence for early dinosaur diversification on Gondwana, early mammal evolution
Lower Elliot Fm = “Euskelesaurus” Range Zone, Late Triassic
Upper Elliot Fm = Massospondylus Range Zone, Early Jurassic
One of richest Late Triassic to Early Jurassic dinosaur faunas in the world – key data on early diversification of the dinosaurs. Several important new dinosaur taxa discovered recently in the Free State.
Oldest known dinosaur eggs (Massospondylus) with embryos (Golden Gate National Park).
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