Löwenstein Formation

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title: "Löwenstein Formation" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["triassic-system-of-europe", "triassic-germany", "triassic-switzerland", "norian-stage", "sandstone-formations", "paleontology-in-germany", "paleontology-in-switzerland", "geologic-formations-of-germany", "geologic-formations-of-switzerland"] description: "Geologic formation in Germany" topic_path: "science/earth-science" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Löwenstein_Formation" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Geologic formation in Germany ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox rockunit"]

Field	Value
name	Löwenstein Formation
type	Geological formation
age	Mid Norian (Alaunian)
period	Norian
prilithology	Sandstone
otherlithology	Marl
region	Europe
country	Germany, Switzerland
unitof	Keuper
underlies	Trossingen Formation
overlies	Mainhardt Formation
thickness	At least 80 m
extent	Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg
::

| name = Löwenstein Formation | image = | caption = | type = Geological formation | age = Mid Norian (Alaunian) | period = Norian | prilithology = Sandstone | otherlithology = Marl | namedfor = | namedby = | region = Europe | country = Germany, Switzerland | coordinates = | unitof = Keuper | subunits = | underlies = Trossingen Formation | overlies = Mainhardt Formation | thickness = At least 80 m | extent = Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg | area = | map = | map_caption = The Löwenstein Formation (Stubensandstein in Baden-Württemberg, Burgsandstein in Bavaria) is a lithostratigraphic formation of the Keuper in Germany. It is underlain by the Mainhardt Formation and overlain by the Trossingen Formation. It dates back to the middle Norian.

Fauna

Theropod tracks and an unnamed herrerasaur genus are known from the Lower Stubensandstein.

Archosaurs

Dinosaurs

Sauropodomorphs

::data[format=table]

Sauropodomorphs of the Stubensandstein	Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Efraasia	E. minor		Lower			[[File:Efraasia.png	frameless]]
Plateosaurus	P. gracilis			"[Twenty one] partial skeletons, isolated elements, [three] partial skulls, juvenile to adult."	Yates assigned the type material of Sellosaurus gracilis to Plateosaurus gracilis	[[File:Plateosaurus Skelett 2.jpg	frameless]]
::

Theropods

::data[format=table]

Theropods of the Stubensandstein	Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Dolichosuchus	D. cristatus		Middle	"Tibia"	Actually indeterminate coelophysoid remains
Halticosaurus	H. longotarsus		Middle	"Mandibular fragment, vertebrae, humerus, illium, femur, metatarsal."	Later found to be indeterminate coelophysoid remains
Liliensternus	L. liliensterni					[[File:Liliensternus NT.jpg	frameless]]
Procompsognathus	P. triassicus		Middle	"Partial postcranial skeleton."		[[File:Procompsognathus.jpg	center
::

Reptiles

::data[format=table]

Archosaurs of the Stubensandstein	Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Aetosaurus	A. feratus		Lower			[[File:Aetosaurus ferratus Model.jpg	frameless]]
A. crassicauda
Apatosuchus	A. orbitoangulatus		Lower	"Partial skull"
Mystriosuchus	M. ?					[[File:Mystriosuchus planirostris NT.jpg	frameless]]
Nicrosaurus	N. kapffi		Middle			[[File:Nicrosaurus kapffi skull.JPG	frameless
N. meyeri
Paratypothorax	P. andressi		Middle			[[File:Paratypothorax andressorum.JPG	frameless]]
Saltoposuchus	S. connectens					[[File:Saltoposuchus BW.jpg	frameless]]
S. longipes
Tanystrosuchus	T. posthomus		Middle	" Neck vertebra"
Teratosaurus	T. suevicus		Middle		Galton and Benton showed that Teratosaurus is actually a rauisuchian.	[[File:Teratosaurus BW.jpg	center
::

Other Amniotes

• Cyclotosaurus
• Metoposaurus

References

Bibliography

References

1. Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Triassic, Europe)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 521–525. {{ISBN. 0-520-24209-2.
2. "17.2 Baden-Württemberg, Germany; '1. Lower Stubensandstein' and '2. Middle Stubensandstein,'" in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 524.
3. "17.2 Baden-Württemberg, Germany; 1. Lower Stubensandstein," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 524.
4. "Table 12.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 236.
5. Yates, A.M. (2003). "Species taxonomy of the sauropodomorph dinosaurs from the Löwenstein Formation (Norian, Late Triassic) of Germany". Palaeontology 46 (2): 317–337
6. "17.2 Baden-Württemberg, Germany; 2. Middle Stubensandstein," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 524.
7. "Table 3.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 50.
8. "Table 3.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 48.
9. [[Peter Galton. Galton, P. M.]] (1985). "The poposaurid thecodontian ''Teratosaurus suevicus'' von Meyer, plus referred specimens mostly based on prosauropod dinosaurs". ''Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde'', B, '''116''': 1-29.
10. [[Michael J. Benton. Benton, M.J.]] (1986). "The late Triassic reptile ''Teratosaurus'' - a rauisuchian, not a dinosaur". ''[[Palaeontology (journal). Palaeontology]]'' '''29''': 293-301.

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