# Aztec Sandstone

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Early Jurassic geological formation in the Mojave Desert, United States

Aztec Sandstone Stratigraphic range: Early Jurassic Outcrop of the Aztec Sandstone at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas, Nevada Type Sedimentary Underlies Willow Tank Formation[1] Overlies Chinle Formation Area Nevada,[2] Arizona, California[3] Thickness 2,100 ft (640 m) in Goodsprings quadrangle[2] 2,500 ft (760 m) in Muddy Mountain area[1] Lithology Primary sandstone Other arenite, sand Location Coordinates 35°24′N 115°30′W / 35.4°N 115.5°W / 35.4; -115.5 Approximate paleocoordinates 20°48′N 53°24′W / 20.8°N 53.4°W / 20.8; -53.4 Region Mojave Desert Country United States Type section Named by D. F. Hewett[2] Year defined 1931 Aztec Sandstone (the United States) Show map of the United States Aztec Sandstone (California) Show map of California

The **Aztec Sandstone** is an [Early Jurassic](/source/Early_Jurassic) geological [formation](/source/Formation_(geology)) of primarily [eolian](/source/Eolianite) sand from which fossil [pterosaur](/source/Pterosaur) [tracks](/source/Trace_fossil) have been recovered.[4] The formation is exposed in the [Mojave Desert](/source/Mojave_Desert) of [Arizona](/source/Arizona), [California](/source/California) and [Nevada](/source/Nevada). Aztec Sandstone is named after the Aztec Tank,[5] a lake in the Spring Mountain region of Nevada.

## Description

The Aztec Sandstone is made up of two units. The lower resistant sandstone unit (100 metres (330 ft) thick) is tan to off-white in outcrops but pinkish in fresh exposures. [Cross-bedded](/source/Cross-bedding) lenses can easily be observed. Frosted and pitted quartz grains well-cemented by silica are described by Evans in 1958 and 1971. The upper and less resistant unit (200m thick) consists of alternating white quartz [arenites](/source/Arenite) and red to brown silty sands.[6]

## Vertebrate paleofauna

The formation has provided the following [ichnofossils](/source/Ichnofossil) attributed to vertebrates:[4]

Ichnofossils of the Aztec Sandstone Genus Species Location Member Abundance Notes Images Anchisauripus[7] Reclassified as Grallator Brasilichnium Grallator[8] Navahopus Octopodichnus Pteraichnus[9] Skolithos

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

## See also

- [List of fossil sites](/source/List_of_fossil_sites)

- [List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in California](/source/List_of_fossiliferous_stratigraphic_units_in_California)

- [List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Nevada](/source/List_of_fossiliferous_stratigraphic_units_in_Nevada)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Longwell1949_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Longwell1949_1-1) [Longwell, C.R.](/source/Chester_Ray_Longwell) (1949). "Structure of the Northern Muddy Mountain Area, Nevada". *[Geological Society of America Bulletin](/source/Geological_Society_of_America_Bulletin)*. **60** (5): 923–968. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1949GSAB...60..923L](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1949GSAB...60..923L). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1130/0016-7606(1949)60\[923:SOTNMM\]2.0.CO;2](https://doi.org/10.1130%2F0016-7606%281949%2960%5B923%3ASOTNMM%5D2.0.CO%3B2). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0016-7606](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0016-7606). [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q60182382](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60182382).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Hewett1931_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Hewett1931_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Hewett1931_2-2) [Hewett, D.F.](/source/Donnel_Foster_Hewett) (1931). ["Geology and ore deposits of the Goodsprings quadrangle, Nevada"](https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0162/report.pdf) (PDF). *Geological Survey Professional Paper* (162). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.3133/PP162](https://doi.org/10.3133%2FPP162). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0096-0446](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0096-0446). [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q61823480](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61823480). (incl. geologic map, scale 1:62,500)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Jennings, C.W., 1961, Geologic map of California; Kingman sheet: California Division of Mines and Geology, scale 1:250,000

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FW_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FW_4-1) [Aztec Sandstone](https://paleobiodb.org/classic/displayStrata?geological_group=&formation=Aztec%20Sandstone&group_formation_member=Aztec%20Sandstone) at [Fossilworks](/source/Fossilworks).org

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Geolex — Aztec publications"](https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Geolex/UnitRefs/AztecRefs_4626.html). *ngmdb.usgs.gov*. Retrieved 2023-03-14.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FWMescal_6-0)** [Mescal Range](https://paleobiodb.org/classic/displayCollResults?collection_no=52175) at [Fossilworks](/source/Fossilworks).org

1. **[^](#cite_ref-hiltonp26a_7-0)** Listed as "cf. *Anchisauripus*" in "Appendix: Summary of the Mesozoic Reptilian Fossils of California," Hilton (2003) p. 265

1. **[^](#cite_ref-hiltonp265g_8-0)** Listed as "cf. *Grallator*" in "Appendix: Summary of the Mesozoic Reptilian Fossils of California," in Hilton (2003) p. 265

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Lockleyetal2008_9-0)** Lockley, et al. (2008)

### Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Aztec Sandstone](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Aztec_Sandstone).

- Bonde, J. W.; Varricchio, D. J.; Jackson, F. D.; Loope, D. B.; Shirk, A. M. (2008). E. M. Duebendorfer; E. I. Smith (eds.). *Dinosaurs and dunes! Sedimentology and paleontology of the Mesozoic in the Valley of Fire State Park*. Vol. 11. pp. 249–262. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1130/2008.FLD011(11)](https://doi.org/10.1130%2F2008.FLD011%2811%29). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8137-5611-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8137-5611-0). [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q95597606](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q95597606). {{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: |journal= ignored ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#periodical_ignored))

- Lockley, M.; Harris, J.D.; and Mitchell, L. 2008. "A global overview of pterosaur ichnology: tracksite distribution in space and time." *Zitteliana*. B28. p. 187-198. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1612-4138](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1612-4138).

- Porter, M.L. (August 1987). "Sedimentology of an ancient erg margin: the Lower Jurassic Aztec Sandstone, southern Nevada and southern California". *Sedimentology*. **34** (4): 661–680. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1987Sedim..34..661P](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1987Sedim..34..661P). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/J.1365-3091.1987.TB00793.X](https://doi.org/10.1111%2FJ.1365-3091.1987.TB00793.X). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0037-0746](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0037-0746). [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q97000543](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q97000543).

- Hilton, Richard P. 2003. Dinosaurs and Other Mesozoic Reptiles of California. Berkeley: University of California Press. 318 pp.

## Further reading

- R. E. Reynolds. 1986. California trackways from the Lower Jurassic Aztec Sandstone. In D. D. Gillette (ed.), First International Symposium on Dinosaur Tracks and Traces. Abstracts with Program 24

v t e Chronostratigraphy of Nevada Ph Cz Horse Spring Formation Mz K Willow Tank Formation J Aztec Sandstone Kayenta Formation Moenave Formation Tr Chinle Formation Favret Formation Fossil Hill Member Luning Formation Moenkopi Formation Prida Formation Pz P Coconino Sandstone Hermit Formation Kaibab Formation Pakoon Limestone Queantoweap Sandstone Toroweap Formation C ⁋ Callville Limestone M Monte Cristo Limestone Redwall Limestone D Muddy Peak Formation Sultan Formation Temple Butte Formation Є Bonanza King Formation Bright Angel Shale Dunderberg Shale Frenchman Mountain Dolostone Muav Limestone Nopah Formation Pioche Shale Prospect Mountain Sandstone Tapeats Sandstone pЄ ♇ Granite and schist

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