Matt Formation

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Matt Formation
Stratigraphic range: Early Oligocene, 33–28  Ma
O
S
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C
P
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Pg
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Type Formation
Unit of North Helvetic Flysch
Underlies Blattengrat Nappe, Wildflysch Nappe
Overlies Elm Formation
Lithology
Primary Slate, sandstone
Location
Region Canton Glarus
Country Switzerland
Type section
Named for Matt, Switzerland
Named bySiegenthaler, 1974

The Matt Formation is an Early Oligocene-aged marine geological formation that outcrops in the Glarus Alps of the Canton of Glarus, Switzerland. [1] [2] It is most notable for its fossiliferous slates found near Engi, known as the Engi slates, Glarner Schiefer (Glarus Slate) or Glarner Fischschiefer ("Glarus fish slate"), which contain the well-preserved fossils of fishes, birds, and sea turtles. The metamorphization of the rock has led to many of the fossils appearing somewhat distorted. [1]

Contents

Geology

The Matt Formation is divided into two sections: a lower member of turbiditic sandstones (Matt Sandstones) and the upper Engi Slates, which contain the famous fossil fishes. As with other formations along the Glarus thrust, deformation along the fault has caused the Matt Formation to be overlain by older Eocene and Late Cretaceous-aged marls and limestones of the Blattengrat and Wildflysch nappes. [1]

Paleobiota

The fossil fishes of Glarus were among the earliest known to Western science. Although the slates from Engi mines have been mined since the mid-16th century, the first description of its fossil fishes was by Johann Jakob Scheuchzer in 1705. Scheuchzer's writings prompted a flourishing trade in the fossil fishes of Glarus, which had been sent to museums all around Europe throughout the 18th century. [3] Many of these fishes were described with Linnean taxonomy for the first time in the early 19th century by Europe's pioneering paleontologists, including Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville and Louis Agassiz. [4] [5]

The Glarus slate is consistent with a marine environment in the western Paratethys Sea. The Alpine orogeny uplifted these former marine fossils far above sea level, where they are exposed today.

The paleobiota of the Glarus Slate shows close affinities with that of the Rauenberg Lagerstätte of Germany and early Oligocene formations of the Romanian Carpathians and the Caucasus Mountains. All of these localities were formerly part of the Paratethys Sea. [6]

Bony fish

Primarily based on Woodward (1901), with taxonomic changes: [7]

GenusSpeciesNotesImages
Acanthopleurus A. colletteiA triplespine. [8] Acanthopleurus serratus.JPG
A. serratus
Anenchelum A. glarisianum (=Lepidopus glarisianus)A cutlassfish. Lepidopus glaronensis.JPG
Archaeus A. glarisianusA jackfish. Archaeus species.JPG
Balistomorphus B. orbiculatusA triggerfish. [9] [8] Balistomorphus ovalis.jpg
B. ovalis
B. spinosus
" Clupea ""C." scheuchzeriA herring.
Cryptobalistes C. brevisA triplespine. [8] [10]
Cyttoides C. glaronensisA cyttid dory.
Fistularia F. koenigi A cornetfish. Fistularia koenigi.JPG
Glarithurus G. friedmaniA larval surgeonfish. [11]
Homorhynchus H. coleiA palaeorhynchid billfish. Hemirhynchus colei.jpg
Isurichthys I. macrurusAn ariommatid. Isurichthys cf. roumanus Oligozan Jamna Dolna Polen Ch2475a.jpg
Nemopteryx N. troscheliA hake. Nemopteryx (15022948384).jpg
Opisthomyzon O. glaronensisAn early remora. [12] Echeneis glaronensis.JPG
Palaeorhynchus P. glarisianusA palaeorhynchid billfish. Palaeorhynchus glaronensis.JPG
P. longirostris
Palimphyes P. elongatusA euzaphlegid scombroid. Palimphyes glaronensis.JPG
Podocys P. minutusA percoid.
Pristigenys (=Acanus) [4] [13] P. spinosusA bigeye. FMIB 38139 Priacanthus arenatus Cuvier & Valenciennes Catalufa; Toro.jpeg
P. regleysianus
Protosiganus (=Archaeoteuthis)P. glaronensisA relative of rabbitfish.
Scopeloides S. glarisianusA bristlemouth. [14] Scopeloides glarisianus 34 maf olig romania.jpg
Thyrsitocephalus T. alpinusA gempylid. [15]

Reptiles

GenusSpeciesNotesImages
Glarichelys G. knorriA sea turtle. Glarichelys.jpg

Birds

GenusSpeciesNotesImages
Protornis P. glarniensisA coraciiform of uncertain affinities. [16] Protornis glaronensis.JPG
Trogoniformes indet.A relative of trogons. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetraodontiformes</span> Order of fishes

Tetraodontiformes, also known as the Plectognathi, is an order of ray-finned fishes which includes the pufferfishes and related taxa. This order has been classified as a suborder of the order Perciformes, although recent studies have found that it, as the Tetraodontoidei, is a sister taxon to the anglerfish order Lophiiformes, called Lophiodei, and have placed both taxa within the Acanthuriformes. The Tetraodontiformes are represented by 10 extant families and at around 430 species overall. The majority of the species within this order are marine but a few may be found in freshwater. They are found throughout the world.

<i>Archaeus</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Archaeus is an extinct genus of marine jackfish from the Paleogene of Europe, where it inhabited the former Tethys Ocean. The oldest species, A. oblongus is from the early Ypresian epoch of Eocene Turkmenistan, and the last species, A. glarisianus and A. solus, are from the early to middle Rupelian, of the Matt Formation of Canton Glarus, Switzerland and the Pshekha Formation of North Caucasus, Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triacanthidae</span> Family of fishes

Triacanthidae, the triplespines or tripodfishes, is a family of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Tetraodontiformes, whicj also includes the pufferfishes, boxfishes, filefishes and related groups. The family is made up of four extant genera and three extinct genera which are known from fossils.

<i>Isurus</i> Genus of sharks

Isurus is a genus of mackerel sharks in the family Lamnidae, commonly known as the mako sharks. They are largely pelagic, and are fast, predatory fish capable of swimming at speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spikefish</span> Family of fishes

The spikefishes are ray-finned fishes related to the pufferfishes and triggerfishes. They live in deep waters; more than 50 m (160 ft), but above the continental shelves. They are found in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and the west-central Pacific.

<i>Aeoliscoides</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Aeoliscoides is an extinct genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish that lived from the early Eocene. It is known from a single species, A. longirostris, from the famous Monte Bolca site of Italy. It was a member of Centriscidae, making it a relative of modern shrimpfish and snipefish. Its name references its close resemblance to the extant shrimpfish genus Aeoliscus.

Berycomorus is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine ray-finned fish that lived during the late Eocene epoch. It contains a single species, B. firdoussi, from the Pabdeh Formation of Iran.

<i>Balistomorphus</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Balistomorphus is an extinct genus of prehistoric triggerfish during the early Oligocene epoch in what is now Canton Glarus, Switzerland. It inhabited the marine environment of the Tethys Ocean.

Cryptobalistes is an extinct genus of triplespine that lived during the early Oligocene epoch. It contains a single species, C. brevis that inhabited the seas around what is now Canton Glarus, Switzerland. Fossils are known from the Matt Formation. It is thought to be closely allied with another triplespine from Glarus, Acanthopleurus. Cryptobalistes, Acanthopleurus, and Protacanthodes are thought to be basal members of the Triacanthidae.

<i>Acanthopleurus</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Acanthopleurus is an extinct genus of marine triplespine that lived in the seas over what is now Europe during the early Oligocene epoch.

<i>Coelogaster</i> Extinct genus of fishes

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Properca is an extinct genus of marine percomorph ray-finned fish that lived in Europe throughout much of the Cenozoic, from the Paleocene to the Miocene epochs.

<i>Aluvarus</i> Extinct genus of fishes

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Caprovesposus is an extinct, prehistoric surgeonfish that inhabited the Paratethys Sea during the Oligocene. It is known from a single species, C. parvus, from what is now the North Caucasus, Russia. Potential specimens are known from the Miocene of Egypt, but these are poorly preserved and this attribution is uncertain.

<i>Dapalis</i> Extinct genus of fishes

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<i>Palimphyes</i> Extinct genus of fishes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alosidae</span> Family of fishes

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<i>Cyclopoma</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Cyclopoma is an extinct genus of marine perciform fish from the Eocene. It is known from the Ypresian to the Lutetian of Europe and eastern North America.

The Pabdeh Formation is a Late Eocene to Early Oligocene-aged geological formation in Iran. It outcrops along the Zagros Mountains. It was deposited in a deepwater environment in the upper bathyal zone of the Paratethys Sea, with these abyssal sediments being lifted high above sea level from the uplift of the Zagros fold and thrust belt as part of the Alpide orogeny.

<i>Anenchelum</i>

Anenchelum is an extinct genus of cutlassfish known from the early Eocene to the late Miocene. Several species are known that inhabited the northwestern Tethys and later Paratethys region, centered around east-central Europe and west Asia. This genus was synonymized with the extant Lepidopus for a time before being revived as a distinct genus in 1995.

References

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