| Judith River Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range:Campanian,79–75.3 Ma | |
Judith River Formation, Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Montana Group |
| Sub-units | Parkman Sandstone Member, McClelland Ferry Member, Coal Ridge Member, Woodhawk Member |
| Underlies | Bearpaw Formation |
| Overlies | Claggett Formation,Pakowki Formation |
| Thickness | max 360 meters (1,180 ft)[1] |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Mudstone andsandstone |
| Location | |
| Region | Alberta,Montana,South Dakota,Saskatchewan,Wyoming |
| Country | Canada,United States |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Judith River near the confluence with theMissouri River |
| Named by | F.V. Hayden, 1871;[2] F.B. Meek, 1876.[3] |
TheJudith River Formation is afossil-bearinggeologic formation inMontana, and is part of theMontana Group. It dates to the LateCretaceous, between 79 and 75.3 million years ago,[4] corresponding to the "Judithian" land vertebrate age. It was laid down during the same time period as portions of theTwo Medicine Formation of Montana[5] and theOldman Formation ofAlberta.[6]It is an historically important formation, explored by early Americanpaleontologists such asEdward Drinker Cope, who named several dinosaurs from scrappy remains found here on his 1876 expedition (such asMonoclonius). Modern work has found nearly complete skeletons of the hadrosauridBrachylophosaurus.
The Judith River Formation is composed ofmudstone,siltstone andsandstone.[1]Coal beds,bentonite andcoquinas are also observed.


The Judith River Formation conformably overlies theClaggett Formation andPakowki Formation. It is overlain by theBearpaw Formation.[1] It is equivalent to theBelly River Formation in the southernCanadian Rockies foothills, theLea Park Formation incentral Alberta and theWapiti Formation in the northwestern plains.

The Judith River Formation is divided into four members, the Parkman Sandstone Member, the McClelland Ferry Member, the Coal Ridge member, and the Woodhawk Member.[7] The McClelland Ferry Member (78.7-76.3 Ma) is believed to be equivalent to theOldman Formation, with the Coal Ridge Member (76.3-75.3 Ma) equivalent to theDinosaur Park Formation.[4]

Faunal list follows a review published by Ashok Sahni in 1972 unless otherwise noted.[8]
Color key
| Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are insmall text; |
There are three potential species of discoglossid frogs. Hip bones, possibly representing a North American member of theEuropean spadefoot toad family are also known from the formation.
| Amphibians of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
H. dilatus | |||||||
L. bairdi | |||||||
| Nezpercius[9] | N. dodsoni | Clambank Hollow | Afrog known from a partial illium. | ||||
O. kayi | A possiblelungless salamander | ||||||
P. copei | |||||||
S. tectum | A scapherpetonid salamander | ||||||
| Bony fishes of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
| Arotus | A. hieroglyphus | Aholostean.[10] | |||||
| Belonostomus | Belonostomus longirostris | Anaspidorhynchiform. | |||||
| Cyclurus | C. fragosus | Abowfin.[11] | |||||
| Lepisosteus | L. occidentalis | Scales[12] | Agar. | ||||
| ?Paralbula | ?P. sp. | Abonefish. | |||||
| Priscosturion | P. longipinnis | McClelland Ferry[13] | Upper Campanian[13] | Asturgeon. | |||
| Psammorhynchus | P. longipinnis | McClelland Ferry[13] | Upper Campanian[13] | Preoccupied name, renamedPriscosturion.[14] | |||
| Polyodontidae | Indeterminate | Apaddlefish. Known remains exceeded size ofChinese paddlefish, total length would exceed 2 metres (6.6 ft).[15] | |||||
| Cartilaginous fishes of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
M. bipartitus | Astingray. | ||||||
| Cretalamna | C. sp | Montana | An Otodontid shark | ||||
| Carcharias | Carcharias sp. | A sand tiger shark | |||||
| Squalicorax | S.kaupi | An Anacoracid shark | |||||
| Plesiosaurs of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
Plesiosauria indet. | |||||||
| Pterosaurs of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
| Hidden Valley Quarry | |||||||
| Pterosauria | indet | JDM Quarry | McClelland Ferry[18] | ||||
| Choristoderes of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
C. sp. | |||||||
| Crocodilians of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
B. montana | Analligatorid. | ||||||
L. canadensis | An alligatoroid. | ||||||
| Deinosuchus | D. hatcheri[19] | Two giant dorsal vertebrae and a number of osteoderms. | An enormous alligatoroid. | ||||
| Lizards of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
C. segnis | Awhiptail. | ||||||
E. lancensis | |||||||
L. denticulatus | A whiptail. | ||||||
P. bogerti | |||||||
P. wyomingensis | A parasaniwid. | ||||||
| Ankylosaurs reported from the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Member | Material | Notes | Images | |
| Edmontonia | E.longiceps | Isolated teeth[20] | A nodosaurid. | ||||
| Zuul | Z. crurivastator | middle Coal Ridge | Cranial and postcranial skeletal remains and soft tissue,type specimen | An ankylosaurid. | |||
| Hadrosaurs reported from the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Member | Material | Notes | Images | |
B. canadensis | middle McClelland Ferry | A hadrosaurid which was one of the more common dinosaurs in the area.[21] | |||||
| Corythosaurus | C. sp.[22] | middle Coal Ridge | two partial skeletons | Alambeosaurine hadrosaurid | |||
D. calamarius | "Teeth."[23] | Nomen dubium | |||||
D. pentagonius | "Fragmentary dentary with teeth,"[23]type specimen | A dubious hadrosaurid | |||||
D. perengulatus | "Teeth."[23] | Nomen dubium | |||||
H. paucidens | Reclassified asLambeosaurus?paucidens | ||||||
?"Kritosaurus" | ?"K."breviceps | A dubious hadrosaurid | |||||
?L. paucidens | "Squamosal, maxilla."[23] | Nomendubium. An indeterminate lambeosaurine.[24] | |||||
P. costatus | "Tooth,"[12]type specimen | A dubious ankylosaur | |||||
P. bergei | lower McClelland Ferry | Abrachylophosaurin hadrosaur | |||||
P. grallipes | "Skeleton lacking skull."[25] | A dubious hadrosaurid | |||||
T. mirabilis | Isolated teeth,type specimen[12] | A dubious hadrosaurid | |||||
| Ceratopsians reported from the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Member | Material | Notes | Images | |
A. nesmoi[26] | Reclassified asMedusaceratops lokii | ||||||
A. lammersi[26] | lower McClelland Ferry | "[Two] partial skulls, skeleton, juvenile,"[27]type specimen | A ceratopsid | ||||
C. montanus | "occipital condyle, paired horn cores,"[28]type specimen | A dubious ceratopsid | |||||
| Chasmosaurinae | gen. et sp. nov. | A mostly complete skull | MOR 11940, An unnamedChasmosaur housed at theMuseum of the Rockies. | ||||
D. bicarinatus | "Isolated teeth."[28] | Nomen dubium | |||||
D. encaustus | "Single tooth and [five] tooth fragments."[23] "Isolated teeth."[28] | Nomen dubium | |||||
D. haydenianus | "Isolated teeth."[28] | Nomen dubium | |||||
D. peiganus | "Tooth."[28] | Nomen dubium | |||||
| Furcatoceratops | F. elucidans | Fergus County, Montana[29] | Upper Coal Ridge[29] | Nearly complete subadult skeleton.[29] | A ceratopsid | ||
J. tigris[30] | lower McClelland Ferry | A ceratopsid | |||||
L. rangiformis[31] | Kennedy Coulee | lower McClelland Ferry | Disarticulated, associated skeleton including most of the skull and fragmentary postcrania[31] | A ceratopsid | |||
M. lokii[32] | lower McClelland Ferry | Bonebed[32] | A ceratopsid | ||||
M. gemini[33] | lower Coal Ridge | "one apomorphic squamosal"[33] | A ceratopsid | ||||
M. crassus[26] | lower Coal Ridge | "[Five] skulls, [one] complete."[27]Type specimen | A dubious ceratopsid | ||||
| Spiclypeus | S. shipporum | McClelland Ferry[34] | Partial skull, vertebrae, ribs, humerus, ilium, femur, tibia, and fibula. | A ceratopsid | |||
| Pachycephalosaurs reported from the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Member | Material | Notes | Images | |
| Colepiocephale | C. lambei[35] | Kennedy Coulee | lower McClelland Ferry | "nearly complete frontoparietal dome" | A pachycephalosaurid closely related toStegoceras. | ||
| Hanssuesia | H.sternbergi | Apachycephalosaurid. Also present in the Dinosaur Park and Oldman Formations. Possible synonym ofStegoceras. | |||||
| Dromeosaurs reported from the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images | |
D. albertensis | Ox Hill Quarry, Careless Creek Quarry, Hidden Valley Quarry & Blackbird Ridge Quarry.[36] | lower McClelland Ferry | Teeth[36] | A dromaeosaurid, also found in theDinosaur Park Formation | |||
D. explanatus | "Tooth."[37] | Possible relative ofSaurornitholestes | |||||
D. laevifrons | "Tooth."[37] | Possible relative ofSaurornitholestes | |||||
| Saurornitholestes | S. langstoni | Careless Creek, Emily's Ankle, Top Cat, Hidden Valley & Blackbird Ridge quarries.[36] | Lower McClelland Ferry | Numerous teeth[36] | Adromaeosaurid | ||
Z. abradens | "Teeth,"[37]type specimen | ||||||
| Troodonts reported from the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images | |
| Theropod "A" | Antelope Head, Careless Creek, Emily's Ankle, Top Cat, Hidden Valley, Blackbird Ridge & Jensen Ranch quarries.[36] | 28 teeth[36] | Teeth of a large theropod distinct from those of tyrannosaurids | ||||
T. formosus | Antelope Head, Careless Creek, Emily's Ankle, Top Cat & Hidden Valley quarries.[36] | Teeth (type specimen),[12][36] egg | A troodontid, possibly dubious. | ||||
| Tyrannosaurs reported from the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images | |
A. lateralis | "Isolated teeth,"[39][40]type specimen | Junior synonym ofDeinodon horridus[8] | |||||
A. mirandus | Teeth,type specimen | Possible junior synonym ofDeinodon horridus[8] | |||||
| Daspletosaurus | D. torosus | Coal Ridge | Maxilla[41] | A largetyrannosaurid. | |||
| D. wilsoni[42] | Jack's B2 | lower Coal Ridge[43] | Partial skull, cervical, sacral, and caudal vertebrae, and a rib, chevron, and first metatarsal | Originally considered to be a transitional species betweenD. torosus andD. horneri, though the validity of this claim has been questioned[44] | |||
| D. sp. | Coal Ridge[44] | Partial skeleton[45] | Not referrable toD. torosus[43] | ||||
D. falculus | Teeth | Isolated tyrannosaur teeth classified in the dubious genusDeinodon | |||||
D. hazenianus | Teeth | Junior synonym ofDeinodon horridus[8] | |||||
D. horridus | "Teeth,"[12]type specimen | Isolated tyrannosaur teeth that formed the basis of the dubious genusDeinodon | |||||
D. incrassatus | Teeth | Junior synonym ofDeinodon horridus[8] | |||||
D. lateralis | Junior synonym ofDeinodon horridus[8] | ||||||
| Gorgosaurus | G. libratus | Postorbital[41] | A large tyrannosaurid, also found in theDinosaur Park Formation and possibly theTwo Medicine Formation. | ||||
| ?Tyrannosaurus | T. sp. | Fergus County | A Lacrimal | Found alongside a specimen ofDeinosuchus,[46] but may not be from the Judith River Formation[47] | |||
| Theropods reported from the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images | |
H. altus | Partial tibiotarsus | One of the only known freshwater occurrences of ahesperornithid.[48] | |||||
O. tenuis | "Fragmentary metatarsal."[49] | A possible troodontid or juvenile tyrannosaurid | |||||
| Ornithomimosauria indet.[50] | Indeterminate | Coal Ridge Member | A left and right dentary | A large ornithomimosaur with potential affinities to theDeinocheiridae | |||
P. lacustris | Teeth,type specimen | An indeterminate maniraptoran, also found in theDinosaur Park,Milk River, andKirtland Formations | |||||
| Richardoestesia | R. gilmorei | Careless Creek, Emily's Ankle, Hidden Valley & Blackbird Ridge quarries.[36] | 12 teeth[36] | Acoelurosaur | |||
| Turtles of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
| Adocus[51] | A. sp. | ||||||
| Aspideretoides[51] | A. sp | ||||||
| Aspideretoides[51] | A. foveatus | ||||||
| Axestemys[51] | A. spledidus | ||||||
| Basilemys[51] | B. sp. | ||||||
| Boremys[51] | B. sp | ||||||
| Boremys[51] | B. pulchra | ||||||
| Chelydridae[51] | indet. | ||||||
| Neuankylus[51] | N. sp. | ||||||
| Neuankylus[51] | N. eximius | ||||||
| Plesiobaena[51] | P. antiqua | ||||||
All the flora stated below is pulled from the PBDB.[52][53][54][55]
| Ferns of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
| Azollopsis | A. coccoides | Montana | |||||
Azolla | A. simplex | Montana | |||||
| Biretisporites | B. deltoideus | Montana | |||||
| Baculatisporites | B. sp | Montana | |||||
| Cyathidites | C. sp | Montana | |||||
| Deltoidospora | D. diaphana | Montana | |||||
| Echinatisporis | E. sp | Montana | |||||
| Laevigatosporites | L. haardtii | Montana | |||||
| Todisporites | T. dubius | Montana | |||||
| Ferns of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
| Cycadopites | C. fragilis | Montana | |||||
| Ferns of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
| Araucariales | Indeterminate | Montana | |||||
Pityosporites | P. constrictus | Montana | |||||
| Taxodiaceaepollenites | T. hiatus | Montana | |||||
| Ferns of the Judith River Formation | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images | |
| Scabrastephanocolpites | S. lepidus | Montana | |||||
Monosulcites | M. riparius | Montana | |||||
| Tubulifloridites | T. aedicula | Montana | |||||
| Erdtmanipollis | E. procumbentiformis | Montana | |||||
| Liliacidites | L. sp. | Montana | |||||