Forest Marble Formation

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Forest Marble Formation
Stratigraphic range: Bathonian 168–164.7  Ma
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East face of Kirtlington quarry geograph org uk.jpg
Forest Marble Formation exposed in Kirtlington Quarry, Oxfordshire
Type Geological formation
Unit of Great Oolite Group
Underlies Cornbrash Formation
Overlies White Limestone Formation, Athelstan Oolite Formation, Chalfield Oolite Formation, Corsham Limestone Formation, Frome Clay
ThicknessUp to 5m thick in Buckinghamshire, 10 to 30m in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, 30 to about 50m in north Dorset, 30 to 75m in south Dorset
Lithology
Primary Mudstone, Limestone
Other Siltstone, Sandstone
Location
Region Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Dorset
Country United Kingdom
Type section
Named for Wychwood Forest

The Forest Marble is a geological formation in England. Part of the Great Oolite Group, it dates to the late Bathonian stage of the Middle Jurassic. [1]

Contents

Lithology

The primary lithology of the formation typically consists of greenish grey variably calcareous silicate mudstone, with lenticular cross bedded limestone units deposited in a marine setting. [2]

Paleobiota

Despite the formation being nearly entirely marine, at several localities abundant remains of terrestrial microvertebrates are found, the primary locality being the Kirtlington Mammal Bed (designated 3p) in Kirtlington Quarry near Kirtlington, Oxfordshire. [3] Another important locality is Watton Cliff near Eype in Dorset. [4]

Fish

Fish of the Forest Marble Formation [5]
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages
Hybodus Hybodus obtususWatton CliffA hybodont shark
Egertonodus Egertonodus duffini
Secarodus Secarodus polyprion
Strophodus Spp.A hybodont shark, formerly considered to be Asteracanthus
Lonchidion IndeterminateA hybodont shark
Parvodus Parvodus pattersoni
Lissodus Lissodus leiopleurus
Palaeocarcharias ? [6] IndeterminatePossibly the oldest lamniform shark

Dinosaurs

Ornithischians

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Ornithischians of the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages

Alocodon [7]

Indeterminate [7]

  • Oxfordshire [8]

Hylaeosaurus [9]

Indeterminate [9]

Dubious

Iguanodon [11]

Indeterminate [11]

  • Oxfordshire [8]
Dubious, probably indeterminate ornithischian

Saurischians

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Saurischians reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages

Bothriospondylus [12]

B. robustus [10]

"Dorsal vertebra." [13]

Reassigned to Marmarospondylus

Cetiosaurus Cetiosaurus.jpg
Cetiosaurus
Proceratosaurus Proceratosaurus NT.jpg
Proceratosaurus

Indeterminate [8]

  • Oxfordshire [8]

Cardiodon [10]

C. rugulosus [10]

Cetiosaurus [14]

C. oxoniensis

  • Oxfordshire

A cetiosaurid sauropod.

"Cetiosaurus"

C. glymptonensis [8]

  • Oxfordshire [8]

"Caudal vertebrae." [15]

Actually indeterminate theropod remains. [16]
Dromaeosauridae [17] Indeterminate [17] "Teeth" [17] Remains represent three species. Same species also present in the Chipping Norton Limestone. [17] Other authors have questioned the attribution to dromaeosaurs. [18]

Marmarospondylus

Dorsal verebraDubious genus of sauropod

Megalosaurus [19]

M. bucklandii [16]

  • Gloucestershire [16]

Indeterminate [20]

Actually indeterminate theropod remains. [20]

Proceratosaurus [16] P. bradleyi [16]
  • Gloucestershire [16]
A proceratosaurid theropod. The geological formation that this species comes from is disputed, and other authors have attributed the strata to the White Limestone Formation. [22]

Amphibians

Amphibians reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Anoualerpeton A. priscusKirtlington Albanerpetontid
Eodiscoglossus E. oxoniensisKirtlington Frog, probably not closely related to type species of genus.
Eodiscoglossus Eodiscoglossus NT.jpg
Eodiscoglossus
Marmorerpeton M. kermacki,M. freemaniKirtlington, Watton Cliff Neotenic stem-group salamander (Caudata) belonging to Karauridae
Caudata IndeterminateKirtlington2 distinct taxa, one common one small, referred to as Kirtlington Salamander A and B, respectively

Turtles

Turtles reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Paracryptodira [23] IndeterminateKirtlingtonShell fragments, basisphenoid

Choristoderes

Choristoderes reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Cteniogenys IndeterminateKirtlingtonA small, lizard like choristoderan. Oldest record of the group

Pterosaurs

Choristoderes reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
"Rhamphorhynchoidea"IndeteriminateKirtlington

Lepidosauromorphs

Lepidosauromorphs reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Balnealacerta B. silvestrisKirtlington Scincomorph lizard
Bellairsia B. gracillisKirtlington Squamate
Bellairsia skull diagram.png
Eophis E. underwoodiKirtlingtonStem-snake
Marmoretta M. oxoniensisKirtlingtonBasal Lepidosauromorph
Marmoretta.svg
Oxiella O. tenuisKirtlingtonSquamate
Parviraptor cf. estesiKirtlingtonStem-snake
Saurillodon S. marmorensisKirtlington Paramacellodid lizard
Rhynchocephalia IndeterminateKirtlington

Crocodyliformes

Crocodyliformes reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
cf. Goniopholis IndeterminateKirtlington
Goniopholis Goniopholis BW.jpg
Goniopholis
cf. Theriosuchus IndeterminateKirtlington

Mammaliamorphs

Mammaliamorphs reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Amphitherium Indeterminate?Kirtlington, Watton CliffThe first Mesozoic mammal to be described. Initially believed to be a marsupial. Close relative of Palaeoxonodon and Peramuridae.
Borealestes B. serendipitusKirtlington, Watton Cliffmolar fragments Docodonta
Dobunnodon B. mussettiKirtlingtonmolar fragments
Gobiconodon G. bathoniensisKirtlington, Watton Cliff Gobiconodontid
Hahnotherium H. antiquumKirtlington, Watton Cliff Multituberculate
Kermackodon K. multicuspis, K. oxfordensisKirtlington, Watton Cliff Allotherian belonging to the family Kermackodontidae, K. oxfordensis previously placed in separate genus Eleutherodon.
Kermackodon.png
Kirtlingtonia K. catenataKirtlington Haramiyid
Krusatodon K. kirtlingtonensisKirtlington Tegotheriid docodontan
Millsodon M. superstesKirtlington, Watton CliffHaramiyid
Morganucodon M. tardusWatton Cliff Morganucodontidae
Morganucodon Morganucodon.jpg
Morganucodon
Palaeoxonodon P. ooliticusKirtlington, Watton Cliff Amphitheriid
Palaeoxonodon.jpg
Paritatodon P. kermackiKirtlingtonDocodontan or Shuotheriidae
Peraiocynodon P. majorKirtlington Docodontidae
Phascolotherium P. simpsoniKirtlington, Watton Cliff Amphilestidae
Simpsonodon S. oxfordensisKirtlingtonDocodonta
Shuotherium IndeterminateKirtingtonShuotheriidae
Stereognathus S. ooliticusKirtlington, Watton Cliff Tritylodontidae
Stylidens S. hookeriWatton CliffMorganucodontidae
Wareolestes W. rexKirtlingtonMorganucodonta
Allotheria IndeterminateKirtlington
Haramiyida IndeterminateKirtlington
Dryolestida IndeterminateLower molars
Peramuridae IndeterminateWatton Cliff

See also

Footnotes

  1. Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Middle Jurassic, Europe)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 538–541. ISBN   0-520-24209-2.
  2. British Geological Survey. "Forest Marble Formation". BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  3. "Kirtlington 3p (Mammal Bed)". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  4. "Watton Cliff (West Cliff), Dorset". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  5. Rees, Jan; Underwood, Charlie J. (January 2008). "Hybodont Sharks of the English Bathonian and Callovian (Middle Jurassic)". Palaeontology. 51 (1): 117–147. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00737.x. ISSN   0031-0239.
  6. Underwood, Charlie J.; Ward, David J. (May 2004). "Neoselachian sharks and rays from the British Bathonian (Middle Jurassic)". Palaeontology. 47 (3): 447–501. doi:10.1111/j.0031-0239.2004.00386.x. ISSN   0031-0239.
  7. 1 2 Listed as "cf. Alocodon sp." in "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  9. 1 2 Listed as "?Hylaeosaurus sp." in "10.13 Wiltshire, England; 3. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "10.13 Wiltshire, England; 3. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  11. 1 2 Listed as "?Iguanodon sp." in "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  12. "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation" and "10.13 Wiltshire, England; 3. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  13. "Table 13.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 270.
  14. "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 538, 540.
  15. "Table 13.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 265.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "10.3 Gloucestershire, England; 4. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 538.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wills, S.; Underwood, C. J.; Barrett, P. M. (2023). "Machine learning confirms new records of maniraptoran theropods in Middle Jurassic UK microvertebrate faunas". Papers in Palaeontology. 9 (2). e1487. doi: 10.1002/spp2.1487 .
  18. Yu, Yilun; Yi, Hongyu; Wang, Shiying; Pei, Rui; Zhang, Chi; Xu, Xing (December 1, 2023). "A Jurassic Tibetan theropod tooth reveals dental convergency and its implication for identifying fragmentary fossils". The Innovation Geoscience. 1 (3): 100040–10. doi: 10.59717/j.xinn-geo.2023.100040 . ISSN   2959-8753.
  19. Weishampel, et al. (2004). Pages 539-540.
  20. 1 2 "10.7 Dorset, England; 2. Forest Marble Formation" and "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Pages 539-540.
  21. "10.7 Dorset, England; 2. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 539.
  22. Carrano, Matthew (2004). "Minchinhampton reservoir (BMNH R4860) (Jurassic of the United Kingdom)". The Paleobiology Database.
  23. Scheyer, Torsten M.; Anquetin, Jérémy (March 2008). "Bone histology of the Middle Jurassic turtle shell remains from Kirtlington, Oxfordshire, England". Lethaia. 41 (1): 85–96. doi:10.1111/j.1502-3931.2007.00044.x. ISSN   0024-1164.

References