Crystal Geyser Quarry (UMNH VP Loc. 157): Berriasian - Valanginian, Utah
collected by Utah Geol. Survey & UMNH 2001-

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Reptilia
Suarez et al. 2007
scutes
Reptilia - Polacanthidae
Kirkland and Madsen 2007
Reptilia
Kirkland and Madsen 2007
Zanno 2004 10 individuals
MNI, perhaps actually hundreds in total (5 measurements)
    = Falcarius utahensis n. gen., n. sp. Kirkland et al. 2005
Kirkland et al. 2005
Crocodylia indet. (Owen 1842)
Kirkland and Madsen 2007
Teeth
see common names

Geography
Country:United States State/province:Utah County:Grand
Coordinates: 38.9° North, 110.1° West (view map)
Paleocoordinates:34.8° North, 44.4° West (Wright 2013)
Basis of coordinate:based on nearby landmark
Geographic resolution:outcrop
Time
Period: Cretaceous Epoch: Early Cretaceous
Stage: Berriasian - Valanginian 10 m.y. bin: Cretaceous 1
Key time interval: Berriasian - Valanginian
Age range of interval: 143.1 - 132.6 m.y. ago
Age estimate: 142.5 ± 2.7 to 133.7 ± 2.7 Ma (U/Pb)
Stratigraphy
Geological group:Dakota Formation:Cedar Mountain Member:Yellow Cat
Stratigraphic resolution:group of beds
Stratigraphy comments: base of member, fossils from basal units 1-3; date from sandy unit just above bonebed

Joeckel et al. 2019: Of the 10 samples collected from the Yellow Cat Member for U–Pb zircon geochronology, nine are from mudstones and one is from a fine- to medium- grained sandstone at the base of the Yellow Cat Member (Table 1). Table 1 summarizes the Concordia ages, weighted mean ages and youngest single-grain ages from these samples. The youngest single-grain ages (Dickinson & Gehrels 2009) from all but one of the mudstones span a 206Pb/238U age range from 133.7 + 2.7 to 139.5 + 3.1 Ma (at 2σ uncertainty), within the Valanginian Stage of the Lower Creta- ceous. The remaining mudstone sample, which has a distinct sand component, and the sandstone sample from the base of the Yellow Cat Member have youngest single zircon grains with ages of 142.5 + 2.7 and 141.9 + 3.9 Ma that both fall into the preceding Berriasian Stage.
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology:concretionary,pebbly argillaceous,sandy mudstone
Secondary lithology:lenticular "limestone"
Includes fossils?Y
Includes fossils?Y
Lithology description: "The CGDQ consists of a basal, bone-bearing limestone; bone-bearing, sandy mudstone unit; interbedded sandy mudstone and limestone; and a silicified limestone caprock. The basal limestone layer has a maximum thickness of 12 cm and laterally pinches out to a pisolitic horizon. The overlying bone-bearing mudstone consists of smaller clay clasts, pisolites, isolated pebbles, carbonate nodules and concretions. The nodules and concretions increase toward the top of the bone-bearing mudstone. Bones are often encrusted with micrite calcite, and some concretions contain dinosaur bone or bone fragments."
Environment:spring
Geology comments: "preserved in or near a spring"
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:body,concretion
Lagerst�tten type:concentrate
Degree of concentration:-bonebed
Size of fossils:macrofossils
Spatial orientation:preferred
Preservation of anatomical detail:excellent
Abundance in sediment:abundant
Associated major elements:many
Disassociated major elements:many
Disassociated minor elements:many
Size sorting:well
Fragmentation:occasional
Feeding/predation traces:tooth marks
Temporal resolution:time-averaged
Spatial resolution:parautochthonous
Collection methods and comments
Collection methods:selective quarrying,surface (float),surface (in situ),chemical,mechanical,field collection
Rock censused:800000 cm2 (area)
Reason for describing collection:taxonomic analysis
Collectors:Utah Geol. Survey & UMNH Collection dates:2001-
Collection method comments: Some chemical treatment for REE study of bones; bones prepared mechanically
Taxonomic list comments:Also present: polacanthine indet. fragments; theropod bone; turtle; croc teeth
Metadata
Also known as:CGDQ, CGQ
Database number:50052
Authorizer:M. Carrano Enterer:M. Carrano
Modifier:M. Carrano Research group:vertebrate
Created:2005-05-05 05:51:57 Last modified:2025-02-22 15:12:02
Access level:the public Released:2005-05-05 05:51:57
Creative Commons license:CC0
Reference information

Primary reference:
16819.ETE J. I. Kirkland, L. Zanno, D. Deblieux, D. Smith, and S. D. Sampson. 2004. A new, basal-most therizinosauroid (Theropoda: Maniraptora) from Utah demonstrates a pan-Laurasian distribution for Early Cretaceous (Barremian) therizinosauroids. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24(3, suppl.):78A [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano]

Secondary references:

86543 K. A. Beguesse, W. Freimuth, L. Herzog and L. E. Zanno. 2023. A survey of paleopathologies in the Early Cretaceous therizinosaurian Falcarius utahensis from Crystal Geyser Quarry Utah. In R. K. Hunt-Foster, J. I. Kirkland, & M. A. Loewen (eds.), 14th Symposium on Mesozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biota. The Anatomical Record 306(S1):32-34 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
79274 R. M. Joeckel, G. A. Ludvigson, A. Möller, C. L. Hotton, M. B. Suarez, C. A. Suarez, B. Sames, J. I. Kirkland, and B. Hendrix. 2019. Chronostratigraphy and terrestrial palaeoclimatology of Berriasian–Hauterivian strata of the Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah, USA. In M. Wagreich, M. B. Hart, B. Sames, I. O. Yilmaz (eds.), Cretaceous Climate Events and Short-Term Sea-Level Changes 498 [P. Mannion/G. Varnham]
85049 J. I. Kirkland and J. R. Lively. 2023. MTE14 Mesozoic of Utah Field Trip 1-92 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
32617ETE J. I. Kirkland and S. K. Madsen. 2007. The Lower Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation, Eastern Utah: the view up an always interesting learning curve. Utah Geological Association Publication 35 1-108 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
78389 J. I. Kirkland, M. B. Suarez, C. A. Suarez and R. K. Hunt-Foster. 2016. The Medial Cretaceous in East-Central Utah—the Cedar Mountain Formation and its Bounding Strata. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Field Trip Guide. 1-117 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Uhen]
13444ETE J. I. Kirkland, L. E. Zanno, S. D. Sampson, J. M. Clark, and D. D. DeBlieux. 2005. A primitive therizinosauroid dinsoaur from the Early Cretaceous of Utah. Nature 435(3468):84-87 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
58660 D. Smith, J. I. Kirkland, K. Sanders, L. E. Zanno, and D. Deblieux. 2004. A comparison of North American therizinosaur (Theropoda: Dinosauria) braincases. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24(3, suppl.):114A [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/O. Alfaro]
14807ETE C. Suarez. 2005. Evidence for a very complex taphonomic history of the Early Cretaceous Crystal Geyser Dinosaur Quarry, east-central Utah. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 25(3, suppl.):119A [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
25568ETE C. A. Suarez, M. B. Suarez, D. O. Terry, Jr. and D. E. Grandstaff. 2007. Rare earth element geochemistry and taphonomy of the Early Cretaceous Crystal Geyser Dinosaur Quarry, east-central Utah. Palaios 22:500-512 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
14806ETE M. Suarez. 2005. Depositional environments of the Crystal Geyser Dinosaur Quarry: an unusual dinosaur in an unusual environment. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 25(3, suppl.):119A [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
16785ETE M. Suarez, C. Suarez, D. Grandstaff, D. Terry, Jr., and K. I. Kirkland. 2004. Sedimentologic, taphonomic, and rare earth element geochemical analyses of the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) Crystal Geyser Dinosaur Quarry, east-central Utah. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24(3, suppl.):119A [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
25569ETE M. B. Suarez, C. A. Suarez, J. I. Kirkland, L. A. González, D. E. Grandstaff and D. O. Terry, Jr. 2007. Sedimentology, stratigraphy, and depositional environment of the Crystal Geyser Dinosaur Quarry, east-central Utah. Palaios 22:513-527 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
16777ETE L. E. Zanno. 2004. The pectoral girdle and forelimb of a primitive therizinosauroid (Theropoda: Maniraptora): new information on the phylogenetics and evolution of therizinosaurs. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24(3, suppl.):134A [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/O. Alfaro]
32762ETE L. E. Zanno. 2010. Osteology of Falcarius utahensis (Dinosauria: Theropoda): characterizing the anatomy of basal therizinosaurs. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 158(1):196-230 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
80958 L. E. Zanno. 2010. A taxonomic and phylogenetic re-evaluation of Therizinosauria (Dinosauria: Maniraptora). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 8(4):503-543 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]