Werfen Formation

Werfen Formation
Stratigraphic range: Changhsingian-Ladinian ~254–235  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Formation
Unit of	Costabella Group
Sub-units	Campil, 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
Country	Austria Italy Bosnia and Herzegovina
Extent	Dinaric, Southern Limestone & Salzburg Slate Alps, Tennen Mountains
Type section
Named for	Werfen
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]

Fossil content

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

• Eotiaris teseroensis (a crown-group echinoid from Changhsingian aged beds of the Tesero Member) ^[2]
• Orbicoelia sp. (a brachiopod) ^[2]
• Teserina nerii (a brachiopod) ^[2]

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

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Austria
• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Italy

References

1. Werfen Formation at Fossilworks.org
2. 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

• 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
• Foster, William J.; Danise, Silvia; Price, Gregory D.; Twitchett, Richard J. (2017), "Subsequent biotic crises delayed marine recovery following the late Permian mass extinction event in northern Italy", PLOS ONE , 12 (3) e0172321, Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1272321F, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172321 , PMC   5351997 , PMID   28296886 Bibcode : 2017PLoSO..1272321F

Further reading

• E. Farabegoli, M. C. Perri, and R. Posenato. 2007. Environmental and biotic changes across the Permian-Triassic boundary in western Tethys: The Bulla parastratotype, Italy. Global and Planetary Change 55:109-135
• E. Kustatscher, M. Wachtler, and J.H.A. Konijnenburg-van Cittert. 2004. A number of additional and revised taxa from the Ladinian flora of the Dolomites, Northern Italy. Geo.Alp 1:57-69
• R. Posenato. 2009. Survival patterns of macrobenthic marine assemblages during the end-Permian mass extinction in the western Tethys (Dolomites, Italy). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 280:150-167
• A. Bittner. 1890. Brachiopoden der alpinen Trias. Abhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Geologischen Reichsanstalt 14:1-325