Large-scale slip deformational beding from the Middle Triassic turbidites in Dayang, Ceheng, Guizhou:Discovery and significance

A group of catagraphites was discovered by the authors in the Yunshang valley, Luoyang village, Dayang, Ceheng, Guizhou Province. These rocks display the arabesquitic patterns on the rock surface, and are scattered toward NW along the valley with a length of 2 km. The rock types consist of fine-grained sandstones and siltstones from the middle and upper parts of the lower submember of the 4th member of the Middle Triassic Xuman Formation. The strange patterns on the above-mentioned rocks, which are very rare for their exquisite patterns, well-preserved beddings and large scales, actually constitute large-scale glide deformational beddings as a special type of soft sediment deformational structures, and thus are assigned to the rare geological heritage resources. The discovery of the Dayang large-scale glide deformational beddings has very important scientific significance not only for the study of sedimentary characteristics and evolution of the Youjiang Triassic foreland basin, but also for the protection and development of the geological tourism resources in the remote areas of China.