NEW DISCOVERY OF THE EARLY CRETACEOUS Choristodera IN LUANPING BASIN, NORTHERN HEBEI PROVINCE

Choristodera, a representative vertebrate in Jehol Biota, is widely distributed in the western Liaoning Province. However, Choristodera in Cretaceous strata was not reported in northern Hebei Province, although it is the important producing area of Jehol biota. This study confirms the existence of Choristodera in Luanping Basin in northern Hebei and identifies the fossils as Choristodera sp. and Monjurosuchus sp., occurred in Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation. The discovery fills a gap of Early Cretaceous Choristodera in Hebei Province, and provides new information for the research of eco-environment and life evolution of Jehol Biota in the area, as well as the geographical evolution and geological history of the Jehol Biota in North China.