Partnach Formation

Partnach Formation
Stratigraphic range: Ladinian (Longobardian) ~242–235  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Outcrop of Partnach marl west of the Partnach Gorge
Type	Geologic formation
Underlies	Wetterstein Formation
Overlies	Reifling Formation
Lithology
Primary	Clayey shales (marls) and limestone
Location
Coordinates	47°06′N9°54′E / 47.1°N 9.9°E / 47.1; 9.9
Approximate paleocoordinates	8°36′N21°54′E / 8.6°N 21.9°E / 8.6; 21.9
Region	Carinthia, Vorarlberg
Country	Austria Slovakia
Extent	Northern Limestone Alps
Type section
Named for	Partnach
Named by	Wilhelm von Gümbel
Partnach Formation (Austria)

The Partnach Formation is a Middle Triassic geologic formation in the eastern Northern Limestone Alps and Western Carpathians, within Austria and Slovakia, Central Europe. ^[1] The formation consists of alternating grey and green marls and shales (Partnach shales) and grey limestones (Partnach Limestone), often brecciated, oncolithic and containing clay intraclasts. ^[2] The formation is gradually evolving from the Reifling Formation. It is usually overlain by the Lunz/Reibl Formation or Wetterstein Formation. Sediments of the Partnach Formation were deposited in intrashelf basins.

The rock unit was originally defined as Partnachschichten by Wilhelm von Gümbel in 1858.

It preserves fossils dated to the Ladinian age of the Middle Triassic Epoch of the Triassic Period. ^{[1] [3]}

Fossil content

• Sauropterygia
  • Lariosaurus cf. balsami
  • Neusticosaurus toeplitschi
  • Microleptosaurus schlosseri
  • Simosaurus gaillardoti
• Temnospondyls
  • Tatrasuchus sp.

See also

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Austria

References

1. Google Books: The Geology of Central Europe: Mesozoic and Cenozoic; edited by Tom McCann; pgs. 790-795.
2. Tollmann, A., 1976: Analyse des klassischen nordalpinen Mesozoikums, Wien, Franz Deuticke, 580 pp.
3. Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database" . Retrieved 17 December 2021.

Further reading

• O. Rieppel. 1996. The status of the sauropterygian reptile Partanosaurus zitteli Skuphos from the Middle Triassic of the Austrian Alps, with comments on Microleptosaurus schlosseri Skuphos. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 70(3/4):567-577
• O. Rieppel. 1993. Status of the Pachypleurosauroid Psilotrachelosaurus toeplitschi Nopcsa (Reptilia, Sauropterygia), from the Middle Triassic of Austria. Fieldiana: Geology, new series 1-17
• P. M. Sander and C. Meyer. 1991. A labyrinthodont jaw fragment from the marine Triassic of the Alps. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Monatshefte 1991(4):222-232