Phu Din Daeng, a new Early Cretaceous vertebrate locality on the Khorat Plateau, NE Thailand

Abstract In this paper, we report on a new Early Cretaceous vertebrate locality, Phu Din Daeng, in Nakhon Phanom Province, NE Thailand. The Phu Din Daeng site has yielded a diverse vertebrate assemblage, including sharks ( Heteroptychodus steinmanni ), bony fishes (Pycnodontiformes; Sinamiidae cf. Siamamia and ?Vidalamiinae, and Ginglymodi), adocid turtles, indeterminate neosuchian crocodiles, pterosaurs and dinosaurs (spinosaurids and indeterminate theropods). A new adocid turtle, Protoshachemys rubra n. g. n. sp. is described on the basis of shell material. Field investigations on the geology and comparisons with other vertebrate faunas place Phu Din Daeng in the Sao Khua Formation (Barremian) of the Khorat Group.