Mesaverde Formation

Mesaverde Formation Stratigraphic range: Late Cretaceous
Type	Sedimentary
Underlies	Meeteetse Formation, Datil Group (regionally)
Overlies	Cody Shale, Mancos Shale
Thickness	200–400 metres (660–1,310 ft)
Lithology
Primary	sandstone and shale
Other	coal
Location
Extent	New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming

The Mesaverde Formation is a Late Cretaceous geologic formation found in areas of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, in the Western United States.

Geology

The formation is described by W.G. Pierce as interbedded light gray sandstone and gray shale in the upper part; massive, light-buff, ledge-forming sandstone containing thin lenticular coal beds in the lower part.^[1]

The formation occurs in various structural basins in the Western United States such as the Piceance Basin, Powder River Basin, Uintah Basin, Washakie Basin, and the Wind River Basin.

Fossils

Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus.^[2]

See also

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
  • List of stratigraphic units with indeterminate dinosaur fossils

Footnotes

1. Pierce, W.G., 1997, Geologic map of the Cody 1 degree x 2 degrees quadrangle, northwestern Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey, Miscellaneous Geologic Investigations Map I-2500, scale 1:250000.
2. Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517-607.

References

• Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. 861 pp. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.

Cretaceous Period
Lower/Early Cretaceous	Upper/Late Cretaceous
Berriasian | Valanginian | Hauterivian Barremian| Aptian | Albian	Cenomanian | Turonian | Coniacian Santonian |Campanian | Maastrichtian