# Liushu Formation

The Liushu Formation is a geological formation in Gansu province, China that spans up to 100 m thick and is widely distributed within the Linxia Basin, with a paleomagnetic age between 11 and 6.4 mya (Upper/Late Miocene).

## Geology

The formation is divided into three parts representing three different ages, generally referred to as the "upper part" (youngest, at 6-7 mya), the "middle part" (intermediate, at 9 to 7.6 mya, also known as the Dashengou Fauna), and the "lower part" (oldest).

## Paleobiota
### Birds

| Genus | Species | Locality | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes |
| Gansugyps | G. linxiaensis | Yangwapuzijifang, Guanghe County | Upper part | A preserved skeleton | An extinct old-world vulture |
| Linxiavis | L. inaquosus | Baiwang, Gansu Province | Middle part–Upper part | Articulated and associated elements of the wings, shoulder girdle, vertebrae, and hind limb | An extinct sandgrouse |
| Miosurnia | M. diurna | Linxia Basin of Gansu Province | Upper part | A nearly complete articulated bird skeleton, lacking the right forelimb and left manual digits | A diurnal surniin bird that belongs to the owl family. |
| Mioneophron | M. longirostris | Baihua Village, Zhuangheji Town, Guanghe County | Upper part | A nearly complete skeleton | An extinct old-world vulture. |
| Orientornis | O. linxiaensis | Yangwapuzijifang, Guanghe County | Upper part | An incomplete pelvis and synsacrum | An extinct ostrich |
| Panraogallus | P. hezhengensis | Zhuangkeji Township, Gansu Province | Upper part | A skeleton | A phasianid bird |
| Sinoergilornis | S. guangheensis | Langwagou Village, Zhuangkeji Town, Guanghe County | Upper part | A three-dimensionally preserved distal left tarsometatarsus and a nearly complete set of pedal phalanges | An eogruid |

### Mammals
#### Artiodactyla

| Genus | Species | County | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes |
| Chleuastochoerus | C. linxiaensis | Yangwapuzi, Guanghe County | Upper part | The cranium of a male individual and a juvenile female | A Hyotheriinae suidae. |
| Chleuastochoerus | C. stehlini | | Middle to Upper part | Cranium skull and mandible | A Hyotheriinae suidae. |
| Dicrocerus | D. sp. | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Middle to Upper part. | | An ancient deer |
| Dorcadoryx | D. sp. | Baihuacun and Langwagou locality. | Middle to Upper part. | | An early caprini relative. |
| Eostyloceros | E. hezhengensis | Gaojiashan, Hezheng County | Upper part | An adult skull with its cranial appendages, lacking the muzzle, the left dentition, and the basioccipital part | A large-sized muntjak |
| Euprox | E. furcatus | | Upper part | An adult skull and pair of near-complete antlers. | The largest known Eupox species ever discovered |
| Gazella | G. dorcadoides | Houshan and Baihuacun locality, Guanghe County | Upper part. | | Early relatives of gazelles. |
| Gazella | G. gaudryi | Houshan and Baihuacun locality, Guanghe County | Middle to Upper part | | Early relatives of gazelles. |
| Gazella | G. paotehensis | Houshan and Baihuacun locality, Guanghe County | Middle to Upper part | Multiple skulls. | Early relatives of gazelles. |
| Hezhengia | H. bohlini | Houshan, Bajia, Shuanggongbei, and Zhongmajia locality, Guanghe County | Middle part | | A bovid |
| Honanotherium | H. schlosseri | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Middle part | | An ancient giraffid |
| Miotragocerus | M. gregarius | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Middle part | | An extinct antelope |
| Paleotragus | P. microdon | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Upper part | | An ancient giraffid |
| Protoryx | P. sp. | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Upper part | | An ancient bovid |
| Samotherium | S. boissieri | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Middle part | A cranium skull. | An ancient giraffid |
| Schansitherium | S. tafeli | Dashengou and Yangjiashan, Gansu County | Upper part | A cranium skull. | A four-horned giraffid |
| Shaanxispira | S. linxiaensis. | Panyang and Songjianao locality. | Lower to Middle part | A cranium skull. | An ancient bovid |
| Sinotragus | S. wimani | Songshugou locality, Guanghe County | Upper part | | An ancient bovid |
| Tsaidamotherium | T. brevirostrum | Yancaiping locality, Hezheng County. | Lower part. | A cranium skull. | An ovibovinid caprinae . |
| Urmiatherium | U. intermedium | Huaigou village, Gansu province | Upper part | A male adult skull | An early caprinae. |

#### Carnivora
##### Caniformia

| Genus | Species | County | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes |
| Melodon | M. majori | | Middle part | | A musteloid |
| Parataxidea | P. sinensis | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Upper part | A fossil skull with maxillary teeth. | a badger-like mustelid |
| Promephitis | P. hootoni | | Middle part | | A musteloid |
| Promephitis | P. sp. | | Middle part | | A musteloid |
| Sinictis | S. sp. | | Middle part | | A musteloid |
| Ursavus | U. tedfordi. | Huaigou village, Guanghe County | Upper part | A cranium skull in association with the mandible | An early bear |

##### Feliformia

| Genus | Species | County | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes |
| Amphimachairodus | A. giganteus | Houshan, Guanghe County | Upper part to Middle part | | A homotheriine machairodontine felid. |
| Amphimachairodus | A. hezhengensis | Houshan, Guanghe County | Upper part. | A nearly complete cranium skull | A homotheriine machairodontine felid. |
| Dinocrocuta | D. gigantea | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Middle part | A complete cranium skull. | A gigantic hyena |
| Felis | F. sp. | Guanghe County | Upper part to Middle part | | A felid. |
| Hyaenictitherium | H. hyaenoides | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Upper part to Middle part | | A hyaenid |
| Hyaenictitherium | H. wongii | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Upper part to Middle part | | A hyaenid |
| Ictitherium | I. sp. | Guanghe County | Upper part to Middle part | | A hyaenid |
| Metailurus | M. major | Guanghe County | Upper part | | A metalurin felid. |

#### Perissodactyla

The Liushu formation displays a lineage of Elasmotheriine rhinoceros throughout its stratigraphy. Iranotherium is restricted to the middle part of the formation but remains absent in the overlying layers, the only Elasmotheriine that can be found in the upper layers is Sinotherium.

##### Chalicotheres

| Genus | Species | Locality | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Ancylotherium | A. sp. | Duikang locality, Guanghe County. | Lower part | A juvenile cranium skull. | A shizotheriine chalicothere | |
| Nestoritherium | N. linxiaense | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Lower and Middle parts | A skull without the occipital surface, right zygomatic arch, premaxilla, and anterior nasal bone | A chalicothere | |

##### Equids

| Genus | Species | Locality | Stratigraphic position | Notes |
| Hipparion | H. chiai | Guanghe County | Middle part | An ancient horse |
| Hipparion | H. coelophyes | Guanghe County | Upper part | An ancient horse |
| Hipparion | H. dongxiangense | Guanghe County | Lower part | An ancient horse |
| Hipparion | H. weihoensis | Guanghe County | Middle part | An ancient horse |

##### Rhinocerotids

| Genus | Species | Locality | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Acerorhinus | A. hezhengensis | | Middle part | Skulls based on sexual dimorphism | A hornless rhino | |
| Chilotherium | C. wimani | Zhongmajia, Guanghe County | Middle part | Several skull specimens. | A tusked rhino | Chilotherium |
| Iranotherium | I. morgani | Guanghe County | Middle part | Two skulls based on sexual dimorphism and an isolated mandible | An elasmotheriine with a unique sexual dimorphism, ancestral to Sinotherium | |
| Ningxiatherium | N. euryrhinus. | Guonigou in Nalesi Township, Dongxiang County | Lower part | A completely adult skull with both cheek tooth rows | | |
| Parelasmotherium | P. linxiaense | Dongxiang County | Lower part | A near complete skull | A grazing elasmotheriine | |
| Parelasmotherium | P. simplum | Dongxiang County | Lower part | | A grazing elasmotheriine | |
| Sinotherium | S. lagrelii | Guanghe County | Upper part | A partial skull | An elasmotheriine, ancestral to Elasmotherium. It displays the important transition from nose-horned to forehead-horned rhinos. | |

#### Rodents

| Genus | Species | County | Member | Material | Notes |
| Huerzelerimys | H. asiaticus | Niuzhawan, Sanhe Village, Hezheng County | Upper part. | A complete skull with a mandible and 5 cervical . | An early murinae rodent. |
| Hystrix | H. brevirostra | Maijiaji Village, Hezheng County. | Upper part. | A nearly complete skull. | An early porcupine. |
| Pararhizomys | P. hipparionum | | Middle part | | A rodent |
| Pararhizomys | P. parvulus | Xiayangwan, Guanghe County. | Middle part | An anterior part of a skull with two I2s, left M1‒3 and right M1‒2. | A rodent |

#### Proboscidea

| Genus | Species | Locality | Member | Material | Notes | Images |
| Tetralophodon | T. exoletus | Houshan locality, Guanghe County | Middle part | | A gomphothere | |
| Konobelodon | K. robustus | Zhongmajia and Guonigou, Guanghe County | Middle and Upper parts | Multiple specimens comprising a skull, pelvis bone, and incomplete mandibles | An amebelodont | |

### Reptiles

| Genus | Species | Locality | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Eryx | E. linxiaensis | Shangwangjia Village, Gaunghe County | Upper part | A series of partially preserved cranial and post-cranial elements | A sand boa | |