Hanson Formation

The first dinosaur to be discovered from the Hanson Formation was the predator Cryolophosaurus in 1991, which was then formally described in 1994. Alongside these dinosaur remains were fossilized trees, suggesting that plant matter had once grown on Antarctica's surface before it drifted southward. Other finds from the formation include tritylodonts, herbivorous mammal-like reptiles and crow-sized pterosaurs. Surprisingly were the discovery of prosauropod remains, which were found commonly on other continents only until the Early Jurassic. However, the bone fragments found at the Hanson Formation were dated until the Middle Jurassic, millions of years later. In 2004, paleontologists discovered partial remains of a large sauropod dinosaur that has not formally been described yet.

Synapsids

Synapsids of the Hanson Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Tritylodontidae [6]	Indeterminate	Mt. Kirkpatrick		FMNH PR1824, an isolated upper postcanine tooth.	Is related to the Asian genus Bienotheroides. Probably the largest member of the family, and among the largest post-triassic Synapsids, with a length over 1.6 m long, was probably robust as a modern Wolverine. A member of the family of the tritylodonts, one of the most advanced group of cynodonts.

Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs of the Hanson Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Dimorphodontia? [7][8][9]	Indeterminate	Mt. Kirkpatrick		Humerus	Nearly the same size as YPM Dimorphodon. Its affinities haven't been compared, but its numeral morphotype is common for basal pterosaurs, like in Preondactylus or Arcticodactylus, so can be related to this genera.

Dinosaurs

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.

Dinosaurs of the Hanson Formation[7]
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Fabrosauridae or Eocursor-Grade ornithischian[10][11][12]	Indeterminate	Mt. Kirkpatrick		(1.2 m) Vertebrae, femur and possible caudal vertebrae	A Chimaera with Anchisaurid material[13]
Glacialisaurus[14]	G. hammeri [7]	Mt. Kirkpatrick		A partial right astragalus, medial and lateral distal tarsals, and partial right metatarsus preserved in articulation with each other.	An 8 m (26 ft) long Massospondyloid
Melanorosauridae[15]	"Sauropodomorph A". New Genus and Species.	Mt. Kirkpatrick		Nearly complete juvenile skeleton	Exposed on the Antarctic Dinosaur Exhibit of NHM of Los Angeles, like Sauropodomorph B. Is cited more derived than Sauropodomorph B. near sauropoda, but it is not a Sauropod.[16]
Anchisauria[15]	"Sauropodomorph B". New Genus and Species.	Mt. Kirkpatrick		Several vertebrae and pelvic material	Was exposed on the recently Antarctic Dinosaur Exhibit of NHM of Los Angeles.[16]	Restoration of Sauropodomorph B (Small) along with Glacialisaurus
Sauropoda[14][17][18]	Indeterminate[7][17]	Mt. Kirkpatrick		Three metre-wide pelvis and ilium. Also vertebrae and limb elements.[8]	A possible Pulanesaura-grade Sauropod, less derived than Kotasaurus. The presence of Glacialisaurus in the Hanson Formation with advanced true sauropods shows that both primitive and advanced members of this lineage existed side by side in the early Jurassic Period.[14][19][17]
Coelophysoidea?[20]	Indeterminate	Mt. Kirkpatrick		FMNH PR1822, distal left femur	It is on study, pending to 2020. Was considered Glacialisaurus remains, although can be a genus similar to Coelophysis.
Coelophysidae[21]	Indeterminate	Mt. Kirkpatrick		Teeth	Was described as a Halticosaurid, has been epeculated to be a Liliensternus-grade Coelophysoid. Estimated length of 5.5 m.
Neotheropoda[21]	Indeterminate	Mt. Kirkpatrick		Teeth	It is probably either a Tachiraptor-grade averostra, a Coelophysis-like form, or can even be a basal Tetanuran. Small size, estimated around 2.3 m long.
Cryolophosaurus[22][7]	C. ellioti[7]	Mt. Kirkpatrick		Partial skull and partial postcranium.[23] Remains of a second specimen were collected in 2010.[24] Juvenile teeth are also known.[25]	Considered a Tetanuran theropod, is probably a basal averostra. The specimen is a subadult.

Fossilized wood is also present in the Hanson Formation, near the stratigraphic level of the tritylodont locality. It has affinities with the Araucariaceae and similar kinds of conifers.[26]

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Antarctica
• Mawson Formation
• Shafer Peak Formation