Taynton Limestone Formation

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Taynton Limestone
Stratigraphic range: Bathonian
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Type Geological formation
Unit of Great Oolite Group
Underlies Hampen Formation, Rutland Formation
Overlies Fuller's Earth Formation, Sharp's Hill Formation, Horsehay Sand Formation
Thickness0-11 m
Lithology
Primary Limestone
Other Marl, Sandstone
Location
Region Oxfordshire
CountryFlag of England.svg  England
Type section
Named for Taynton, Oxfordshire
LocationLee's Quarry, Taynton Down, Oxfordshire

The Taynton Limestone [1] is a geological formation in Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom. It dates to the Middle Jurassic, mid-Bathonian stage. [2] It predominantly consists of ooidal grainstone. [3] The term "Stonesfield Slate" refers to slaty limestone horizons within the formation that during the 18th and 19th centuries were extensively quarried for use in roof tiling within the vicinity of Stonesfield, Oxfordshire. Previously these were thought to belong to the Sharp's Hill Formation, but boreholes and shaft sections suggest that at least three horizons within the Taynton Limestone were quarried for the slate. [4] These horizons are well known for producing a diverse set of fossils including those of plants, insects as well as vertebrates, including some of the earliest known mammals, pterosaurs as well as those of first dinosaur ever described, Megalosaurus.

Contents

Vertebrate fauna

Reptiles

Reptiles of the Stonesfield Slate [5]
TaxaSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Iliosuchus I. incognitusTwo iliaA theropod dinosaur. Not distingusiable from Megalosaurus
Megalosaurus M. bucklandiiIsolated remains including several dentaries, maxillas and postcranial bones from multiple individualsA megalosaurid theropod dinosaur, also present in the Chipping Norton and Sharp's Hill Formations
Megalosaurus 5.svg
Klobiodon [6] K. rocheiPartial dentary with teethA rhamphorhynchid pterosaur
Klobiodon rochei.jpg
Protochelys P. blakiiIsolated epidermal scales, coracoid, plastron fragment [7] Nomen dubium, Testudinata indet
Teleosaurus T. geoffroyiAn indeterminate Teleosaurid. Probably the same animal as Teleosaurus cadomensis.
Monofenestrata [6] IndeterminateVertebrae
Rhamphorhynchidae [6] IndeterminateVarious isolated remains

Mammaliamorphs

Mammaliamorphs of the Stonesfield Slate [5]
TaxaSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Amphilestes A. broderipiiTwo left mandibles and right mandibleStonesfield Slate quarries Amphilestid
Amphitherium A. prevostiiPartial left mandible and a right mandible Amphitheriidae
Amphitherium.jpg
A. rixoniRight dentary
Stereognathus S. ooliticusTeeth Tritylodontid
StereognathusooliticusToothOwen1857.png
Phascolotherium P. bucklandiiRight mandible and left ramusAmphilestid
Stonsefield mammal.jpg

Fish

Fish of the Stonesfield Slate [5]
TaxaSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
Breviacanthus Breviacanthus brevisStonesfield Slate quarries
Ganodus Spp. Chimaeriformes
Ischyodus Ischyodus emarginatus
Aspidorhynchus Aspidorhynchus crassus
Pholidophorus Indeterminate
Leptolepis Leptolepis disjectus
Pycnodus Indeterminate
Mesodon Mesodon tenuidens
Microdon Microdon biserialis
Lepidotus Lepidotus tuberculatus
Macrosemius Macrosemius sp.
Undina Undina ? barroviensisA coelacanth
Ceratodus Ceratodus phillipsiA lungfish
Egertonodus [8] Egertonodus duffiniA hybodont shark
Palaeocarcharias ? [9] IndeterminatePossibly the oldest lamniform shark

Invertebrate fauna

Invertebrates of the Stonesfield Slate
TaxaSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages

Blapsium

B. egertoniStonesfield SlateNHM, In. 34379, a ventral compression missing the headAn ommatine beetle
Blapsium egertoni.jpg
Palaeontina P. ooliticaForewingType species of Palaeontinidae
Pheugothemis P. westwoodiDamsel-dragonfly of uncertain placement, while historically described as a member of Gomphidae, Huang et al. 2019 state that it "can[not] be accurately attributed to the Gomphidae, or even the Gomphida."

Flora

The flora known from the Stonesfield Slate comprises a relatively diverse flora, with 25 morphospecies present. It primarily represents a coastal environment, perhaps seasonally dry with mangrove like environments. It is a noticeably different assemblage than the Yorkshire floras of equivalent age, possibly because the latter is thought to represent a deltaic, wetland environment. [10]

Flora of the Stonesfield Slate
TaxaSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
cf. Dictyophyllum IndeterminateFern, Member of Dipteridaceae
Phlebopteris P. woodwardiiFern, Member of Matoniaceae
cf. Coniopteris IndeterminateFern, Member of Dicksoniaceae
Sagenopteris S. colpodesMember of Caytoniales
Ctenozamites cf. leckenbyiMember of Peltaspermales
Pachypteris P. macrophyllaA "Pteridosperm", likely either a member of Peltaspermales or Corystospermales
Komlopteris K. speciosaMember of Corystospermales
Ctenis C. cf. sulcicaulis, sp Cycad
Ptilophyllum P. pectiniformis, P. cf hirsutumMember of Bennettitales
Sphenozamites S. belliiMember of Bennettitales
? Weltrichia IndeterminateMember of Bennettitales
Taeniopteris T. vittataMember of Bennettitales
Bucklandia B. bucklandiiMember of Bennettitales formerly Conites bucklandii [11]
Ginkgo G. aff longifoliusMember of Ginkgoales
Brachyphyllum B. expansumMember of Pinales
Elatocladus E. cf. laxusMember of Pinales
Masculostrobus IndeterminateMember of Pinales
Classostrobus Indeterminate Cheirolepidiaceae
Araucarites A. brodei Araucariaceae
Pelourdea A conifer of uncetain affinities
Carpolithes Carpolithes diospyriformis, Carpolithes sp.Plantae indet
Phyllites sp.Morphotaxon for leaves of uncertain affinities

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  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. Benson, R.B.J. (2009). "An assessment of variability in theropod dinosaur remains from the Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) of Stonesfield and New Park Quarry, UK and taxonomic implications for Megalosaurus bucklandii and Iliosuchus incognitus." Palaeontology, doi : 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2009.00884.x
  3. "Taynton Limestone Formation". BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units. Retrieved 2019-09-21.
  4. Boneham, B.F.W.; Wyatt, R.J. (January 1993). "The stratigraphical position of the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) Stonesfield Slate of Stonesfield, Oxfordshire, UK". Proceedings of the Geologists' Association. 104 (2): 123–136. Bibcode:1993PrGA..104..123B. doi:10.1016/S0016-7878(08)80014-4.
  5. 1 2 3 "Stonesfield Slate, near Oxford (BMNH fish)". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Michael O’Sullivan; David M. Martill (2018). "Pterosauria of the Great Oolite Group (Bathonian, Middle Jurassic) of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, England". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. Online edition. doi:10.4202/app.00490.2018.
  7. Anquetin, Jérémy; Claude, Julien (2008). "Reassessment of the oldest British turtle: Protochelys from the Middle Jurassic Stonesfield Slate of Stonesfield, Oxfordshire, UK". Geodiversitas. 30 (2): 331–344.
  8. Rees, Jan; Underwood, Charlie J. (January 2008). "Hybodont Sharks of the English Bathonian and Callovian (Middle Jurassic)". Palaeontology. 51 (1): 117–147. Bibcode:2008Palgy..51..117R. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00737.x . ISSN   0031-0239.
  9. Underwood, Charlie J.; Ward, David J. (May 2004). "Neoselachian sharks and rays from the British Bathonian (Middle Jurassic)". Palaeontology. 47 (3): 447–501. Bibcode:2004Palgy..47..447U. doi: 10.1111/j.0031-0239.2004.00386.x . ISSN   0031-0239.
  10. Cleal, C. J.; Rees, P. M. (July 2003). "The Middle Jurassic flora from Stonesfield, Oxfordshire, UK". Palaeontology. 46 (4): 739–801. Bibcode:2003Palgy..46..739C. doi: 10.1111/1475-4983.00319 . ISSN   0031-0239.
  11. Doweld, Alexander B. (October 2012). "(2099) Proposal to conserve the name Bucklandia Brongn. against Bucklandia Sternb. and Conites (fossil Gymnospermae , Cycadeoideopsida )". Taxon. 61 (5): 1131–1132. doi: 10.1002/tax.615033 . ISSN   0040-0262.