Escucha Formation

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Escucha Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Aptian-mid Albian
~117–103  Ma
Escucha (Terol).JPG
View of Escucha and surrounding rocks
Type Geological formation
Sub-unitsE1 to E3
Underlies Utrillas Formation
Overlies Castrillo de la Reina, Benassal and Oliete Formations
Thickness~70 m (230 ft)
Lithology
Primary Siltstone, mudstone (E1, E3) sandstone (E2)
Other Coal (E1) siltstone (E2), amber
Location
Coordinates 42°36′N2°42′W / 42.6°N 2.7°W / 42.6; -2.7
Approximate paleocoordinates 30°24′N1°24′E / 30.4°N 1.4°E / 30.4; 1.4
Region Teruel, Aragón
La Rioja
Country Spain
Extent Cameros, Maestrazgo and Oliete Basins
Type section
Named for Escucha, Teruel
Reliefkarte Spanien mit Kanaren.png
Green pog.svg
Green pog.svg
Escucha Formation (Spain)

The Escucha Formation is a geological formation in La Rioja and Teruel provinces of northeastern Spain whose strata date back to the late Aptian to middle Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation. [1]

Contents

The approximately 70 m (230 ft) thick formation underlies the Utrillas Formation and overlies Castrillo de la Reina, Benassal & Oliete Formations. The Escucha Formation comprises siltstones, mudstones, sandstones, coal, siltstones and amber, in which several fossil insects were found. The formation was deposited in a variety of continental to paralic (deltaic) environments. [2]

Depositional Environment

The Escucha Formation represents syn-rift depositional environment, deposited in siliciclastic carbonate platforms, coastal siliciclastic environments and other offshore settings. In the basal part of the formation, cobble to boulder-sized dropstones of glacial origin have been identified, representing long-distance iceberg rafting from Arctic sources. [3]

Fossil content

The Escucha Formation has provided the following fossils, among others: [4]

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs
TaxaLocationNotesImages
Europelta carbonensis La Rioja [5]
Skeletal reconstruction of Europelta.png
Proa valdearinnoensis La Rioja [6]
Proa valdearinnoensis.jpg
Other dinosaurs
Reptiles
Fish
Crustaceans

Insects

Insects
TaxaLocation/siteNotesImages
Alavaraphidia Peñacerrada I amber [9]
ZooKeys-204-001-g010 Alavaraphidia imperterrita A.jpg
Amarantoraphidia Peñacerrada I amber [9]
ZooKeys-204-001-g007 Amarantoraphidia 01.jpg
Microcostaphron parvus Peñacerrada I amber [10]
Radiophron ibericus Peñacerrada I amber [11]
Styporaphidia? hispanica Peñacerrada I amber [9]
ZooKeys-204-001-g006 Styporaphidia hispanica 01a.jpg
Other arthropods
Invertebrates
Flora

Correlation

Early Cretaceous stratigraphy of Iberia
Ma AgePaleomap \ Basins Cantabrian Olanyà Cameros Maestrazgo Oliete Galve Morella South Iberian Pre-betic Lusitanian
100 Cenomanian
Cenomanian-Coniacian Iberia.jpg
La Cabana Sopeira Utrillas Mosquerela Caranguejeira
Altamira Utrillas
Eguino
125 Albian Ullaga - Balmaseda Lluçà Traiguera
Monte Grande Escucha Escucha Jijona
Itxina - Miono
Aptian Valmaseda - Tellamendi Ol Gp. - Castrillo Benassal Benassal Olhos
Font En Gp. - Leza Morella /Oliete Oliete Villaroya Morella Capas
Rojas
Almargem
Patrocinio - Ernaga Senyús En Gp. - Jubela Forcall Villaroya Upper
Bedoulian
Figueira
Barremian Vega de Pas Cabó Abejar Xert Alacón Xert Huérguina Assises
Prada Artoles Collado Moutonianum Papo Seco
Rúbies Tera Gp. - Golmayo Alacón/Blesa Blesa Camarillas Mirambel
150 Hauterivian Iberia 120Ma Barremian zoom.tif Ur Gp. - Pinilla Llacova Castellar Tera Gp. - Pinilla Villares Porto da
Calada
hiatus
Huerva Gaita
Valanginian Villaro Ur Gp. - Larriba Ped Gp. - Hortigüela
Ped Gp. - Hortigüela Ped Gp. - Piedrahita
Peñacoba Galve Miravetes
Berriasian Iberia 150Ma Tithonian.jpg Cab Gp. - Arcera Valdeprado hiatus Alfambra
TdL Gp. - Rupelo Arzobispo hiatus Tollo
On Gp. - Huérteles
Sierra Matute
Tithonian Lastres Tera Gp. - Magaña Higuereles Tera Gp. - Magaña Lourinhã
Arzobispo
Ágreda
Legend Major fossiliferous , oofossiliferous , ichnofossiliferous , coproliferous , minor formation
Sources

See also

References

  1. Weishampel, et al., 2004
  2. Peyrot et al., 2007
  3. Rodríguez-López, Juan Pedro; Liesa, Carlos L.; Pardo, Gonzalo; Meléndez, Nieves; Soria, Ana R.; Skilling, Ian (2016-06-15). "Glacial dropstones in the western Tethys during the late Aptian–early Albian cold snap: Palaeoclimate and palaeogeographic implications for the mid-Cretaceous". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 452: 11–27. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.04.004. ISSN   0031-0182.
  4. Escucha Formation at Fossilworks.org
  5. Kirkland et al., 2013
  6. McDonald et al., 2012
  7. Pérez García et al., 2020
  8. 1 2 Ossó, À.; Charbonnier, S.; Hyžný, M.; van Bakel, B. W. M.; Devillez, J.; Bover-Arnal, T.; Moreno-Bedmar, J. A. (2024). "Decapod assemblages from the Aptian-Albian transition of the eastern Maestrat Basin (Iberian Chain)". Geologica Acta. 22: 1–35. doi: 10.1344/GeologicaActa2024.22.7 .
  9. 1 2 3 Pérez de la Fuente et al., 2012
  10. Ortega Blanco et al., 2010, p.272
  11. Ortega Blanco et al., 2010, p.267
  12. 1 2 Sánchez-García, A.; Palencia, L.; Delclòs, X.; Peñalver, E. (2024). "False scorpions (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones) from Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber". Papers in Palaeontology. 10 (6). e1608. doi: 10.1002/spp2.1608 .

Bibliography

Further reading