Vega Formation

Vega Formation
Stratigraphic range: Kimmeridgian ~155–151  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Ribadesella Group
Underlies	Tereñes Formation
Overlies	Rodiles Formation
Thickness	150 metres
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone, Mudstone
Other	Conglomerate
Location
Coordinates	43°30′N5°18′W / 43.5°N 5.3°W / 43.5; -5.3
Approximate paleocoordinates	35°42′N7°00′E / 35.7°N 7.0°E / 35.7; 7.0
Region	Asturias
Country	Spain
Vega Formation (Spain) Show map of Spain Vega Formation (Asturias) Show map of Asturias

The Vega Formation is a Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) geologic formation of the Ribadesella Group in Asturias, Spain. ^[1] Dinosaur remains diagnostic to the genus level are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation. ^[2] The formation is around 150 metres thick and consists of "alternating white, pale grey and reddish sandstones, and red mudstones with several sporadic conglomeratic beds typically arranged in minor finnig-upward cycles within a major cycle of the same character". An isolated caudal theropod vertebra and a partial tooth are known from the formation, belonging to large megalosaurids around 10 metres in length, comparable to Torvosaurus. Other remains known from the formation include fragmentary turtle remains, crocodylomorph teeth, as well as a sauropod caudal vertebra (MUJA-0650). Dinosaur tracks are also known from the formation, including large theropod footprints and poorly preserved quadrupedal dinosaur footprints. ^[3]

Paleofauna

• Megalosaurus sp. (Theropoda indet.)
• Stegosauria indet. ^[4]
• Torvosaurus sp. ? (Theropoda indet.) - "cervical vertebrae"

See also

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
  • List of stratigraphic units with few dinosaur genera
• Lastres Formation, contemporaneous fossiliferous formation of Asturias

References

1. Vega Formation at Fossilworks.org
2. Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517-607.
3. Rauhut, Oliver W. M.; Piñuela, Laura; Castanera, Diego; García-Ramos, José-Carlos; Cela, Irene Sánchez (2018-07-05). "The largest European theropod dinosaurs: remains of a gigantic megalosaurid and giant theropod tracks from the Kimmeridgian of Asturias, Spain". PeerJ. 6: e4963. doi: 10.7717/peerj.4963 . ISSN   2167-8359. PMC   6035862 . PMID   30002951.
4. Ruiz Omeñaca et al., 2013

Bibliography

• Ruiz Omeñaca, J.I.; Pereda Suberbiola, X.; Piñuela, L.; García Ramos, J.C. (2013). "First evidence of stegosaurs (Dinosauria: Thyreophora) in the Vega Formation, Kimmeridgian, Asturias, N Spain". Geogaceta . 53: 37–40.
• Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; Osmólska, Halszka, eds. (2004). The Dinosauria (2nd ed.). Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 1–880. ISBN   0-520-24209-2 . Retrieved 2019-02-21.