Densuş-Ciula Formation

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Densuș-Ciula Formation
Stratigraphic range:
TypeGeological formation
Sub-unitsLower, Middle and Upper Members
UnderliesCenozoic deposits
OverliesFlysch
Lithology
PrimaryMudstone, sandstone, conglomerate
Location
CountryRomania
ExtentNorthwest Hațeg Basin

The Densuș-Ciula Formation is a geological formation in Romania, with strata dating to the Late Cretaceous. It forms part of the Hațeg Island assemblage, with dinosaur remains among the fossils recovered from the formation.[1]

The formation is divided into three members. The lower member contains a high proportion of volcanogenic material and is poorly fossiliferous. The middle member consists of silty mudstones, sandstones, and conglomerates containing volcanogenic clasts, and is richly fossiliferous. The upper member is composed of matrix-supported red conglomerates and contains few fossils.[2]

Fossil content

Indeterminate dromaeosaurid and possible indeterminate troodontid remains present in Județul Hunedoara, Romania.[1] An unnamed theropod is also present.[1]

Amphibians

Amphibians
GenusSpeciesPresenceNotesImages
Albanerpeton Indeterminate Albanerpetontid
Paralatonia P. transylvanica Alytid
Hatzegobatrachus H. grigorescui Bombinatorid

Squamates

Squamates
GenusSpeciesPresenceNotesImages
Nidophis N. insularis Madtsoiid snake

Turtles

Turtles
GenusSpeciesPresenceNotesImages
Kallokibotion K. bajazidi
Dortokidae Indeterminate

Crocodyliformes

Crocodyliformes
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Allodaposuchus A. precedens A skull A crocodyliform.
Allodaposuchus precedens skull
Life restoration of Doratodon
Doratodon Indeterminate
Sabresuchus S. sympiestodon A neosuchian, formerly thought to be Theriosuchus

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs of the Densuș-Ciula Formation
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Balaur B. bondoc A paravian, possibly a junior synonym of Elopteryx[3][4]
Ferenceratops[5] F. shqiperorum Hunedoara County A partial skeleton of a juvenile individual and a left dentary Originally "Zalmoxes" shqiperorum but subsequently recognized as a distinct ceratopsian taxon closely related to Ajkaceratops. Only the pelvic material has been referred to Ferenceratops as of the taxon's description in 2026.
Kryptohadros[6] K. kallaiae Hunedoara County A partial skull and skeleton A hadrosauroid
Telmatosaurus T. transsylvanicus A skull. A hadrosauromorph.
Uriash U. kadici[7] Locality VI of Kadić. A partial skeleton composed of incomplete vertebrae, metatarsal, femur, and humerus. A titanosaur.
Zalmoxes Z. robustus Hunedoara County A small rhabdodontid ornithopod[1]

Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs of Densuș-Ciula Formation.
GenusSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
Hatzegopteryx[8] H. thambema[8] Valioara A preserved robust skull, incomplete left humerus, and unidentified bone fragments. A giant azhdarchid pterosaur.

Mammals

Mammals
GenusSpeciesPresenceNotesImages
Hainina Indeterminate Two species

Plants

Plants
GenusSpeciesPresenceNotesImages
Sabalites S. sp A Palm[9]

See also

References

  1. Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Cretaceous, Europe)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 588-593. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
  2. VASILE, ŞTEFAN; CSIKI, ZOLTÁN; GRIGORESCU, DAN (2011). "Reassessment of the Spatial Extent of the Middle Member, Densuş-Ciula Formation (Maastrichtian), Haţeg Basin, Romania". Acta Palaeontologica Romaniae: 335–342.
  3. Brusatte, S. L.; Vremir, M. T. S.; Csiki-Sava, Z. N.; Turner, A. H.; Watanabe, A.; Erickson, G. M.; Norell, M. A. (2013). "The Osteology of Balaur bondoc, an Island-Dwelling Dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Late Cretaceous of Romania" (PDF). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 374: 1–100. doi:10.1206/798.1. S2CID 59932467.
  4. Stoicescu, V.; Codrea, V.A.; Bordeianu, M.; Solomon, A.A. (2024). "Elopteryx at Nălaț-Vad: new theropod material described from the Hațeg Basin (Romania)" (PDF). North-Western Journal of Zoology. 20 (1): 73–80.
  5. Maidment, Susannah C. R.; Butler, Richard J.; Brusatte, Stephen L.; Meade, Luke E.; Augustin, Felix J.; Csiki-Sava, Zoltán; Ősi, Attila (2026-01-07). "A hidden diversity of ceratopsian dinosaurs in Late Cretaceous Europe". Nature: 1–7. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09897-w. ISSN 1476-4687.
  6. Magyar, J.; Ősi, A.; Csiki-Sava, Z.; Budai, S.; Botfalvai, G. (2026). "New early Maastrichtian 'duck-billed' dinosaur from Hațeg Basin (Densuș-Ciula Formation, Romania) documents an endemic clade of non-hadrosaurid hadrosauroids in the south-eastern Late Cretaceous European Archipelago". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 24 2607800. doi:10.1080/14772019.2025.2607800.
  7. Díez Díaz, Verónica; Mannion, Philip D.; Csiki-Sava, Zoltán; Upchurch, Paul (20 February 2025). "Revision of Romanian sauropod dinosaurs reveals high titanosaur diversity and body-size disparity on the latest Cretaceous Haţeg Island, with implications for titanosaurian biogeography". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 23 (1). doi:10.1080/14772019.2024.2441516.
  8. Buffetaut, E., Grigorescu, D., and Csiki, Z. (2002). "A new giant pterosaur with a robust skull from the latest Cretaceous of Romania." Naturwissenschaften, 89(4): 180-184. Abstract
  9. Csiki-Sava, Zoltán; Vremir, Mátyás; Vasile, Ştefan; Brusatte, Stephen L.; Dyke, Gareth; Naish, Darren; Norell, Mark A.; Totoianu, Radu (2016). "The East Side Story – The Transylvanian latest Cretaceous continental vertebrate record and its implications for understanding Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary events". Cretaceous Research. 57: 662–698. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2015.09.003.