The Yixian Formation is a geological formation in Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, in northeastern China, composed of basalts interspersed with siliciclastic sediments and dated wholly within the Barremian stage of the Early Cretaceous. Recent radiometric analysis places the unit within a span of roughly 1.6 million years, between about 125.8 and 124.1 million years ago. It represents the second of three major faunal phases of the Jehol Biota and is particularly celebrated for containing the first known non-avian theropods with feathers, including the large feathered tyrannosauroid Yutyrannus and the early bird Confuciusornis, alongside numerous other dinosaurs, pterosaurs, mammals and invertebrates, all preserved with remarkable anatomical detail. This entity documents the Yixian Formation specifically as a geological formation, an Early Cretaceous volcaniclastic and lacustrine sedimentary sequence renowned for feathered-dinosaur preservation.
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