Werfen Formation

Last updated
Werfen Formation
Stratigraphic range: Changhsingian-Ladinian
~254–235  Ma
Type Formation
Unit of Costabella Group
Sub-unitsCampil, Cencenighe, Gastropod Oolite, Tesero Oolite, Mazzin, Siusi, Val Badia Members
Lithology
Primary Mudstone, lime mudstone, limestone
Other Siltstone, sandstone, marl
Location
Coordinates 46°48′N12°06′E / 46.8°N 12.1°E / 46.8; 12.1
Approximate paleocoordinates 7°24′N22°54′E / 7.4°N 22.9°E / 7.4; 22.9
Region Upper Austria,
Bolzano, South Tyrol, Trentino, Veneto
CountryFlag of Austria.svg  Austria
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Extent Dinaric, Southern Limestone & Salzburg Slate Alps, Tennen Mountains
Type section
Named for Werfen
Relief Map of Mediterranean Sea.png
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Pink ff0080 pog.svg
Werfen Formation (Mediterranean)

The Werfen Formation is a geologic formation in the Southern Limestone Alps and Dinaric Alps of Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Italy. It preserves fossils dating back to the Triassic period. [1]

Contents

Fossil content

The formation has provided numerous fossils typical of a shallow lagoon environment, including:

Griesbachian aged layers of the formation also preserve an unexpectedly diverse ichnotaxon assemblage, including the ichnogenera Catenichnus , Helminthopsis , Lockeia , Palaeophycus , Planolites , Rhizocorallium , Spongeliomorpha , Taenidium and Thalassinoides . [3]

See also

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References

  1. Werfen Formation at Fossilworks.org
  2. 1 2 3 Thompson, Jeffrey R.; Posenato, Renato; Bottjer, David J.; Petsios, Elizabeth (2019). "Echinoids from the Tesero Member (Werfen Formation) of the Dolomites (Italy): implications for extinction and survival of echinoids in the aftermath of the end-Permian mass extinction". PeerJ. 7: e7361. doi: 10.7717/peerj.7361 . PMC   6718154 . PMID   31531267.
  3. Hofmann, Richard; Goudemand, Nicolas; Wasmer, Martin; Bucher, Hugo; Hautmann, Michael (2011). "New trace fossil evidence for an early recovery signal in the aftermath of the end-Permian mass extinction". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 310 (3–4): 216–226. Bibcode:2011PPP...310..216H. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.07.014.

Bibliography

Further reading