Hesseltal Formation

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Hesseltal Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Cenomanian-Early Turonian
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Type Geological formation
Unit of Planerkalk Group
Lithology
Primary Marl, limestone
Other Black shale
Location
CountryFlag of Germany.svg  Germany
Extent North Rhine-Westphalia
Lower Saxony
Type section
Named byHiss, Kaplan & Wiese
Year defined2007

The Hesseltal Formation or Blackcoloured Formation is a Late Cretaceous (late Cenomanian to early Turonian) geological formation from northern Germany. It consists of lithified marls and limestone, with a unique series of black shales deposited in anoxic conditions during the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary event. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

It provides an important record of the fauna of the proto-North Sea basin. The formation's diversity of fossil fish is thought to be due to a consequence of an expanding oxygen minimum zone that caused mass mortalities among different communities of fish, including both those associated with warm surface waters and those associated with colder waters from upwelling. The anoxic conditions allowed for detailed preservation of some of these fish, including bony fish with their stomach contents preserved and even a few partial body fossils of cartilaginous fish. [5] [7] Fossil ammonites with preserved soft parts are also known. [8]

The formation's deposition also documents the Plenus Cold Event, an enigmatic, brief but severe cooling event that occurred during the otherwise rapid global warming from the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary event, possibly as a consequence of changing ocean circulation. [5]

Paleobiota

Most fish are documented in Diedrich (2012) and a species list from Amalfitano et al (2020). [7] [9]

Bony fish

GenusSpeciesLocationMaterialNotesImages
Apateodus A. striatusAn ichthyotringid aulopiform.
Armigatus A. brevissimusAn ellimmichthyiform clupeomorph.
Anomoeodus A. angustusA pycnodont.
A. muensteri
Aulolepis A. typusA ctenothrissiform.
Apsopelix A. anglicusA crossognathid crossognathiform.
Bananogmius B. ornatusA plethodid tselfatiiform. Preserved with Clupavus in the stomach.
Belonostomus B. cinctusAn aspidorhynchid.
Cimolichthys C. levesiensisA cimolichthyid aulopiform.
Clupavus C. maroccanusA basal ostariophysian. The most common fish of the formation.
Cylindracanthus C. cf. minorRostral fragmentA fish of uncertain affinities.
Dercetis (=Leptotrachelus)D. sp.A dercetid aulopiform.
? Dixonanogmius D. sp. [10] A plethodid.
Elopopsis E. microdonA pachyrhizodontid crossognathiform.
Enchodus E. lewesiensisAn enchodontid aulopiform.
E. venator
Halec H. sp.A halecid aulopiform.
Hoplopteryx H. lewesiensisA trachichthyiform.
Ichthyodectes I. sp.An ichthyodectid.
Ichthyotringa I. africanaAn ichthyotringid aulopiform.
Njoerdichthys N. dyckerhoffi [11] Galgenknapp Quarry, Hohne QuarryA pycnodont.
Osmeroides O. lewesiensisAn osmeroidid elopiform.
Pachyrhizodus P.subulidensA pachyrhizodontid crossognathiform.
P. sp.
Paranursallia P. gutturosaA pycnodont.
Protosphyraena P. sp.A billfish-like pachycormid.
" Pycnodus ""P." scrobiculatusA pycnodont.
Rhamphoichthys R. taxidiotis [10] DIMAC QuarryA billfish-like plethodid. Rhamphoichthys flipped.jpg
Rharbichthys R. feroxAn aulopiform.
Rhynchodercetis R. sp.A dercetid aulopiform.
Protostomias P. maroccanusA dragonfish-like teleost.
Tselfatia T. formosaA plethodid.
Xiphactinus X. sp.An ichthyodectid.

Chondrichthyans

GenusSpeciesLocationMaterialNotesImages
Cantioscyllium C. decipiensA nurse shark.
Carcharias C. sp.A sand shark.
Chiloscyllium C. greeneiA bamboo shark.
Cretalamna C. appendiculataAn otodontid shark.
Cretascyliorhinus C. aff. destombesiA scyliorhinid shark.
Cretodus C. semiplicatusA pseudoscapanorhynchid shark.
Cretoxyrhina C. denticulataA cretoxyrhinid shark.
C. mantelli
Diprosopovenator D. hilperti [5] Partial body fossilsA pseudoscyliorhinid shark (formerly Paraorthacodus sp.)
? Eostriatolamia ?E. subulataA sand shark.
Heterodontus H. caniculatusA bullhead shark.
H. polydictyos
Paranomotodon P. angustidensA thresher shark.
Protolamna P. acutaA pseudoscapanorhynchid shark.
P. sokolovi
Pseudoscyliorhinus P. schwarzhansiA pseudoscyliorhinid shark
Posadaia P. nolfiA sand shark.
Pseudospinax P. pusillusA bamboo shark.
Ptychodus P. decurrensArticulated specimen, teethA ptychodontid shark.
P. mammilaris
Polyacrodus P. polyptychusA hybodontid shark.
Scapanorhynchus S. raphiodonA goblin shark.
Squalicorax S. falcatusA crow shark.
Squatina (Cretascyllium)S. craneiAn angelshark.
Squatirhina S. westfalicaA ray of uncertain affinities.
Turoniabatis T. ornataA ray of uncertain affinities.

Reptiles

GenusSpeciesLocationMaterialNotesImages
Coniasaurus C. crassidens [12] DIMAC quarryDentary, teethA dolichosaurid squamate
Dolichosaurus D. longicollis [12] DIMAC quarryDorsal vertebraA dolichosaurid squamate
Mosasauroidea indet. [12] DIMAC quarryArticulated tailThe oldest articulated mosasaur remains from Europe.

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