Cromer Forest-bed Formation | |
---|---|
Stratigraphic range: Early Pleistocene - Middle Pleistocene | |
Cromer Forest-bed Formation exposed at the base of the West Runton Cliffs | |
Type | Geological formation |
Unit of | Dunwich Group |
Sub-units | Sheringham Member, Runton Member, West Runton Member, and Bacton Member |
Underlies | Middle Pleistocene glacial deposits |
Overlies | Wroxham Crag Formation or unconformity with Chalk Group |
Thickness | around 6 metres (20 ft) |
Lithology | |
Primary | sands and silts |
Other | peat, mud, silty marl |
Location | |
Coordinates | 52°56′28″N1°15′11″E / 52.941°N 1.253°E |
Region | Norfolk |
Country | England |
Type section | |
Named for | Cromer |
Named by | Clement Reid |
Location | The coast of North Norfolk from Weybourne to Happisburgh |
Year defined | 1882 |
Country | England |
The Cromer Forest-bed Formation, sometimes known as the Cromer Forest Bed, is a geological formation in Norfolk, England. It consists of river gravels, estuary and floodplain sediments predominantly silt, sand, and muds as well as peat along the coast of northern Norfolk. [1] The formation records a number of glacial cycles, with deposition occurring in both relatively cold environments during glacial periods, [2] as well during interglacial periods when the area had a temperate climate. [3] The Cromer Forest Bed itself varies in age from about 2 to 0.5 million years ago, from the Early Pleistocene to early Middle Pleistocene, [4] though the most fossiliferous strata, such as the West Runton Freshwater Bed date to towards the end of deposition during the early Middle Pleistocene. The fossiliferous West Runton Freshwater Bed is the type locality for the Cromerian Stage of the early Middle Pleistocene between 0.8 and 0.5 million years ago. [5] Some fossils from the Cromer Forest Bed likely come from Early Pleistocene layers, though many finds are found out of stratigraphic context. [6]
It is about 6 metres (20 ft) thick [1] and is exposed in cliff section near the village of West Runton.
For over a century this formation, named after the local town of Cromer, has been famous for its assemblage of fossil mammal remains, containing the diverse remains of numerous taxa. [7] [8] [5] [9]
The West Runton Mammoth, a largely complete skeleton of the steppe mammoth (Mammuthus trogontherii) is one of the most best preserved finds found in the West Runton Freshwater Bed. [10] The oldest human footprints outside Africa, the Happisburgh footprints as well as handaxes and bison bones with cut marks were also found in layers considered to belong to this deposit near Happisburgh, dated to around 1 million to 780,000 years ago. [4]
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Panthera gombaszogensis [5] | West Runon Freshwater Bed | Often called the European jaguar and posited to the ancestor of the living American jaguar (Panthera onca) | |
Panthera fossilis [5] [11] | West Runon Freshwater Bed, Pakefield | A close relative of the modern lion, and one of the largest cats to have ever lived. Ancestor of the Late Pleistocene cave lion (Panthera spelaea). Older publications have assigned this material to the modern lion (Panthera leo). | ![]() |
Felis cf. lunensis [12] [5] | West Runon Freshwater Bed | A primitive member of the genus Felis , which includes the domestic cat and its close relatives | |
Ursus sp. [9] | West Runon Freshwater Bed | Possibly represents brown bears (Ursus arctos) or members of the cave bear lineage | |
Ursus deningeri [13] | Bacton, Pakefield | Ancestor of the later cave bear (Ursus spelaea) | |
Canis mosbachensis [5] | West Runon Freshwater Bed | A more primitive and smaller ancestor of the modern grey wolf (Canis lupus) | ![]() |
Lynx sp. [5] | West Runon Freshwater Bed | A lynx | |
Crocuta crocuta [5] | Closely related to living African spotted hyenas, have also been attributed to cave hyenas in older works. [14] | ![]() | |
Homotherium latidens [5] | A lion-sized saber-toothed cat | ![]() | |
Pachycrocuta brevirostris [5] | Bacton, Overstrand | A giant hyena, the largest ever | ![]() |
Lutra simplicidens [12] | West Runon Freshwater Bed | An extinct otter | |
Pannonictis pliocaenica [12] | An extinct mustelid belonging to the subfamily Ictonychinae | ||
Martes martes [12] | Commonly known as the pine marten, species extant | ![]() | |
Mustela nivalis [12] | Commonly known as the least weasel, species extant | ![]() | |
Mustela erminea [12] | Commonly known as the stoat, species extant | ![]() |
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Cervus elaphus [8] | Commonly known as red deer, species extant | ![]() | |
Praemegaceros verticornis [8] | A giant deer belonging to the genus Praemegaceros . Sometimes referred to in historical publications as Megaloceros verticornis | ![]() | |
Praemegaceros dawkinsi [8] | A moderately sized deer. | ||
Megaloceros savini [8] | A reindeer sized species | ![]() | |
Dama sp. [8] | An early indeterminate fallow deer | ||
Capreolus capreolus [8] | Commonly known as roe deer, species extant | ![]() | |
Cervus rhenanus [8] | A smaller deer with three-pointed antlers | ||
Eucladoceros ctenoides/tegulensis [8] | A giant deer | ||
Eucladoceros tetraceros [8] | |||
Eucladoceros sedgwickii [8] | |||
Cervalces latifrons [8] | A larger ancestor of the modern moose (Alces alces), one of the largest deer ever | ||
Hippopotamus antiquus [9] | A larger relative of the modern hippopotamus (Hippotamus amphibius) | ||
Bison schoetensacki [7] | A primitive bison | ![]() | |
Sus scrofa [12] | West Runton Freshwater Bed | Commonly known as wild boar, species extant | ![]() |
Stephanorhinus hundsheimensis [12] | A rhinoceros belonging to the extinct genus Stephanorhinus | ![]() | |
Equus cf. suessenbornensis [12] | A stenonine equine | ||
Equus cf. altidens [12] |
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Mammuthus trogontherii [10] | West Runton Freshwater Bed | Commonly known as the steppe mammoth, known from a mostly complete skeleton, the West Runton Mammoth collected from the West Runton Freshwater bed in 1990. | ![]() |
Mammuthus meridionalis [10] | A more primitive mammoth chronologically earlier than M. trogontherii | ![]() | |
Palaeoloxodon antiquus [10] | Commonly known as the straight-tusked elephant, a larger relative of African elephants | ![]() |
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Sorex runtonensis [12] | West Runton Freshwater Bed | An extinct shrew belonging the genus Sorex | |
Sorex savini [12] | |||
Sorex cf. minutus [12] | Remains closely resembling and possibly conspecific with the living pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus) | ![]() | |
Macroneomys brachygnathus [12] | A large extinct shrew | ||
Neomys newtoni [12] | An extinct water shrew belonging to the genus Neomys | ||
Desmana sp. [12] | A desman related to the living Russian desman (Desmana moschata) | ||
Talpa minor [12] | An extinct mole belonging to the genus Talpa | ||
Talpa europaea [12] | Commonly known as the European mole, species extant | ![]() | |
Erinaceus sp. [12] | A hedgehog, closely related to the living European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) |
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Macaca sylvanus [12] | West Runton Freshwater Bed | Commonly known as the Barbary macaque. Though extinct in Europe (with the exception of Gibraltar), it remains extant in North Africa | ![]() |
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Nyctalus noctula [12] | West Runton Freshwater Bed | Known as the common noctule, species extant | ![]() |
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Lepus sp. [12] | West Runton Freshwater Bed | A hare | |
Sciurus whitei [12] | An extinct squirrel belonging to the genus Sciurus, closely related to the living red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) | ||
Castor fiber [12] | Commonly known as the Eurasian beaver, species extant | ![]() | |
Trogontherium cuvieri [12] | An extinct member of the beaver family Castoridae somewhat larger than living beavers | ![]() | |
Cricetus runtonensis [12] | An extinct hamster belonging to the genus Cricetus, related to the living European hamster (Cricetus cricetus) | ||
Cricetulus migratorius [12] | Commonly known as the grey dwarf hamster, species extant | ![]() | |
Pliomys episcopalis [12] | A vole belonging to the extinct genus Pliomys | ||
Clethrionomys hintonianus [12] | An extinct vole belonging to the genus Clethrionomys | ||
Mimomys savini [12] | A vole belonging to the extinct genus Mimomys , related to living water voles (Arvicola) | ||
Microtus gregaloides [12] | An extinct vole belonging to the genus Microtus | ||
Microtus arvalidens [12] | |||
Microtus ratticepoides [12] | |||
Apodemus sylvaticus [12] | Commonly known as the wood mouse, species extant | ![]() |
A variety of birds are known from the Cromer Forest Bed. [15]
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Phalacrocorax cf. carbo [12] | West Runton Freshwater Bed | Remains closely resembling and possibly conspecific with the living great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) | ![]() |
Cygnus sp. [12] | A swan | ||
Anser sp. [12] | A goose | ||
Anatinae spp. [12] | Remains of several species of ducks | ||
Grus cf. Grus grus [12] | Remains closely resembling and possibly conspecific with the living common crane (Grus grus) | ![]() | |
cf. Gallinula chloropus [12] | Remains closely resembling and possibly conspecific with the living common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) | ![]() | |
Turdus sp. [12] | A thrush | ||
Sturnus sp. [12] | A starling | ||
Corvidae indet [12] | A small bird belonging to the crow family | ||
Passeriformes indet [12] | A perching bird |
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Triturus vulgaris [12] | West Runton Freshwater Bed | Commonly known as the smooth newt, species extant | ![]() |
Triturus sp. nov [12] | An extinct salamander belonging to the genus Triturus | ||
Bufo bufo [12] | Known as the common toad, species extant | ||
Hyla arborea [12] | Commonly known as the European tree frog, species extant | ![]() | |
Rana arvalis [12] | Commonly known as the Moor frog, species extant | ![]() | |
Pelophylax cf. ridibundus [12] | Remains closely related to the living marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus), recorded under the synonymous name Rana (ridibunda) sp. | ![]() | |
Rana temporaria [12] | Known as the common frog, species extant | ![]() | |
Rana cf. dalmatina [12] | Remains closely resembling and possibly conspecific with the living agile frog (Rana dalmatina) | ![]() |
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Anguis fragilis [12] | West Runton Freshwater Bed | Commonly known as the slow worm, species extant | ![]() |
Natrix natrix [12] | Commonly known as the grass snake, species extant | ![]() | |
Vipera berus [12] | Commonly known as the adder, species extant | ![]() |
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Esox lucius [12] | West Runton Freshwater Bed | Commonly known as the Northern pike, species extant | ![]() |
Perca fluviatilis [12] | Commonly known as the European perch, species extant | ![]() | |
Tinca tinca [12] | Commonly known as the tench, species extant | ![]() | |
Abramis bjoerkna [12] | Commonly known as the white bream, species extant | ![]() | |
Scardinius erythrophthalmus [12] | Known as the common rudd, species extant | ![]() | |
Rutilus rutilus [12] | Known as the common roach, species extant | ![]() | |
Leuciscus idus [12] | Commonly known as the ide, species extant | ||
Anguilla anguilla [12] | Commonly known as the European eel, species extant | ![]() | |
Gasterosteus aculeatus [12] | Commonly known as the three-spined stickleback, species extant | ![]() |
A variety of beetles are known from the Cromer Forest Bed, including the West Runton Freshwater Bed, representing a temperate climate, [16] and from Sidestrand, representing a cold glacial climate. [2]
Pollen and macrofossils from the West Runton Freshwater Bed indicates the presence of a variety of plants at the time of deposition, representing a forest and wetland environment with a temperate climate. [3]
Species | Locality | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Alnus glutinosa | West Runton Freshwater Bed | Commonly known as European alder, species extant | ![]() |
Betula | Commonly known as birch | ![]() | |
Plantago major | Commonly known as broadleaf plantain, species extant | ![]() | |
Urtica dioica | Commonly known as stinging nettles, species extant | ||
Picea sp. | Commonly known as spruce | ![]() | |
Heracleum sphondylium | Commonly known as hogweed, species extant | ![]() | |
Stellaria media | Commonly known as chickweed, species extant | ![]() | |
Schoenoplectus lacustris | Known as the common club-rush, species extant | ![]() | |
Sparganium erectum | Known as the simplestem bur-reed, species extant | ||
Typha sp. | Commonly known as bullrush or cattail | ![]() | |
Bidens tripartita | Known as the three-lobe beggarticks, species extant | ||
Epilobiumcf. hirsutum | Commonly known as the great or hairy willowherb, species extant | ![]() | |
Eupatorium cannabinum | Commonly known as the hemp-agrimony, species extant | ![]() | |
Ajuga reptans | Commonly known as the bugleherb, species extant | ![]() | |
Thalictrum flavum | Commonly known as the yellow meadow-rue, species extant | ![]() | |
Cyperus fuscus | Commonly known as the brown galingale, species extant | ||
Eleocharis palustris | Known as the common spike-rush, species extant | ![]() | |
Juncus sp. | Indeterminate rushes | ![]() | |
Persicaria lapathifolia | Known by several common names including pale persicaria and pale smartweed, species extant | ![]() | |
Potentilla sp. | Commonly known as cinquefoils | ![]() | |
Ranunculus | Includes indeterminate members of the subgenera Ranunculus subgenus Ranunculus and Batrachium | ||
Azolla filiculoides | An aquatic fern. Became extinct in Europe during the Pleistocene, but was reintroduced to the region in historic times | ![]() | |
Hydrocharis morsus-ranae | Commonly known as the European frog-bit, species extant | ![]() | |
Nuphar lutea | Commonly known as the yellow water-lily, species extant | ![]() | |
Nymphaea alba | Commonly known as the white water-lily, species extant | ![]() | |
Stratiotes aloides | Commonly known as the water soldier, species extant | ![]() | |
Ceratophyllum demersum | Commonly known as hornwort, species extant | ![]() | |
Groenlandia densa | An aquatic plant, species extant | ![]() | |
Chara sp. | An alga | ![]() | |
Rubus idaeus | Commonly known as the red raspberry, species extant | ||
Rabelera holostea | Commonly known as the greater stitchwort, species extant. Labelled in study under previous name Stellaria holostea | ![]() | |
Oxybasiscf. rubra | Commonly known as the red goosefoot, species extant. Labelled in study under previous name Chenopodium rubrum | ![]() |
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: article number as page number (link)Gibbard, P.L., S. Boreham, K.M. Cohen and A. Moscariello, 2007, Global correlation tables for the Quaternary, Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England.