Late Triassic Fossils from the Kuta Formation, Papua New Guinea

Fossil identifications and descriptions from the Kuta Formation limestone deposit in Papua New Guinea. The dataset includes conodonts, molluscs, and brachiopods used to date the formation as late Norian or Rhaetian (Late Triassic). It was published by the Australian Ocean Data Network and last updated in June 2026.

Use Cases

• Dating Late Triassic marine strata based on described conodont and brachiopod assemblages.
• Studying Tethyan provincial biogeography based on the described fossil taxa with a Tethyan aspect.
• Analyzing the stratigraphic continuity of Triassic sedimentation in Papua New Guinea based on the formation's dating.
• Comparative paleontology research based on the presence of the genus Clavigera, previously known only from New Zealand and New Caledonia.

Strengths

• Provides a positive late Norian or Rhaetian (Late Triassic) age for the Kuta Formation, clarifying previous conflicting age estimates.
• Includes specific fossil identifications, such as the conodont Misikella posthernsteini and the ammonite Arcestes (Arcestes) cf. sundaicus.
• Contributes to understanding the youngest known Triassic formation in Papua New Guinea.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Fossil identification and description from geological fieldwork.

Time Range

Late Triassic (late Norian or Rhaetian)

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-04 06:19:13.568906; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Kubor Anticline, Central Highlands, Papua New Guinea