{{Short description|Geologic formation in Kazakhstan}} {{one source|date=May 2021}}

{{Infobox rockunit | name = Aral Formation | image = | caption = | type = Formation | period = Neogene | age = Oligocene – Miocene | prilithology = | otherlithology = | namedfor = | namedby = | region = Aktyubinsk | country = Kazakhstan | coordinates = 50.3° N, 57.2° E W<ref name="fossilworksa"/<ref>[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/displayCollResults?collection_no=175920 Fossilworks: Altynshokysu (bone bed I)]. ''Fossilworks.org''. Retrieved 2021-04-07.</ref> | unitof = | subunits = | underlies = | overlies = | thickness = | extent = | area = | map = | map_caption = }}

The '''Aral Formation''' is a geologic formation in Kazakhstan. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene period.<ref name="fossilworksa"/> Much of its fossils consist of Glires and fish, though cetaceans and cryptobranchid salamanders are also known.

== Paleobiota == The Aral Formation has yielded a rich variety of extinct mammals. Many of its mammal fauna consists of the clade Glires with rodents being particularly numerous.<ref name="fossilworksa"/>

=== Bivalves === {| class="wikitable" |- !Genus !Species !Notes !Images |- |''Corbula''<ref name="fossilworksa"/> |''C. helmerseni'' |A bivalve |center|150 px |- |} === Chondrichthyes === {| class="wikitable" |- !Genus !Species !Notes !Images |- |''Odontaspis''<ref name="fossilworksa"/> |Species indeterminate |A sand tiger shark. | |- |} === Osteichthyes ===

{| class="wikitable" |- !Genus !Species !Notes !Images |- |''Acipenser''<ref name="fossilworksa"/> |Species indeterminate |A sturgeon. | |- |''Cyprinidae'' indet.<ref name="fossilworksa"/> |Genus and species indeterminate |A carp. | |- |''Esox''<ref name="fossilworksa"/> |''E. aralensis'' |A pike. | |- |''Percidae'' indet.<ref name="fossilworksa"/> |Gensu and species indeterminate |A perch. | |- |}

===Urodela===

{| class="wikitable" |- !Genus !Species !Notes !Images |- |Cryptobranchidae indet.<ref name="fossilworksa"/> |Genus and species indeterminate. |A giant salamander. |- |}

=== Mammals === ==== Rodents ==== {| class="wikitable" |- !Genus !Species !Notes !Images |- |''Aralocricetodon''<ref name="fossilworksa"/> |''A. schokensis'' |A cricetid. | |- |''Asianeomys''<ref name="fossilworksa"/> |''A. bolligeri.'' |An eomyid. | |- |''Eumyarion''<ref name="fossilworksa"/><ref name="lopatin1996"/> |''E. tremulus'' |A mouse. | |- |''Eucricetodon''<ref name="fossilworksa"/><ref name="lopatin1996"/<ref>A. V. Lopatin. 1996. "The Stratigraphy and Small Mammals from the Aral Formation, the Altynshokysu Locality, Northern Aral Area." ''Stratigraphy and Geological Correlation.'' 4 (2): 65-79.</ref> |''E. occasionalis'' |A mouse. | |- |''Plesiosminthus''<ref name="fossilworksa"/> |''P. tereskentensis'' |A jumping mouse. | |- |''Propalaeocastor''<ref name="fossilworksa"/> |''P. kumbulakensis'' |A castorid. | |- |}

==== Lagomorpha ==== {| class="wikitable" |- !Genus !Species !Notes !Images |- |''Desmatolagus'' |''D. gobiensis, D. simplex, D. periaralicus''. |A rabbit. | |- |}

==== Eulipotyphla ==== {| class="wikitable" |- !Genus !Species !Notes !Images |- |''Amphechinus'' |''A. minimus'' |A hedgehog. | |- |Desmaninae ''indet.'' |Indeterminate genus and species. |A desman. | |- |''Gobisorex'' |''G. kingae''. |A shrew. | |- |Talpidae ''indet.'' |Indeterminate genus and species. |A mole. | |- |}

==== Cetacea ==== {| class="wikitable" |- !Genus !Species !Notes !Images |- |Delphinidae ''indet.'' |Indeterminate genus and species. |A dolphin. | |- |}

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:Geologic formations of Kazakhstan