Magnesian Conglomerate

Last updated
Magnesian Conglomerate
Stratigraphic range: Rhaetian
~208–202  Ma
Cromhall quarry.jpg
Slickstones Quarry, where an outcrop of the Magnesian Conglomerate is present
Type Geological formation, fissure fill
Underliesnone
Overlies Friars Point Limestone Formation?
Lithology
Primary Breccia
Other Limestone
Location
Coordinates 51°30′N2°36′W / 51.5°N 2.6°W / 51.5; -2.6
Approximate paleocoordinates 35°54′N0°48′E / 35.9°N 0.8°E / 35.9; 0.8
Region South West England & South Wales
CountryFlag of England.svg  England
Extent Bristol
Type section
Named by Henry Riley & Samuel Stutchbury
Year defined1836
England relief location map.jpg
Pink ff0080 pog.svg
Magnesian Conglomerate (England)

The Magnesian Conglomerate is a geological formation in Clifton, Bristol in England (originally Avon), Gloucestershire and southern Wales, present in Tytherington, Durdham Down, Slickstones Quarry and Cromhall Quarry.

Contents

It dates back to the Rhaetian stage of the Late Triassic, [1] [2] although it may be as old as the Norian stage of the Late Triassic and as young as the Hettangian stage of the Early Jurassic.[ citation needed ]

The Magnesian Conglomerate was first discovered in autumn 1834 and was studied in 1836 by Henry Riley and Samuel Stutchbury. [3]

The Avon Fissure Fill is often paired with the Magnesian Conglomerate. [1]

Vertebrate paleofauna [1]

TaxonSpeciesPresenceNotesImages
Actinopteri [4] Indeterminate [4] Geographically present in Durdham Down. [4] A tooth. [4]
Agnosphitys [2] [5] A. cromhallensis [2] [5] Geographically present in Avon, England (now Bristol). [2] Its remains include a left ilium (holotype) and a left maxilla, astragalus and humerus (referred specimen). [2] Agnosphitys cromhallensis2 copia.jpg
Agrosaurus [6] [2] A. macgillivrayi [6] [2] Geographically present in Avon, England (now Bristol). Originally believed to have been found in Cape York Peninsula, Queensland (Australia). [2] A tibia, a claw and some other fragments. [2]
Archosauria [7] Indeterminate [7] Geographically present in Durdham Down. [4] Five specimens, including jaw fragments, caudals, and a scapulocoracoid. [7]
Archosauromorpha [4] Indeterminate [4] Geographically present in Durdham Down. [4] A fragment of a small tooth. [4]
Asylosaurus [2] [8] A. yalensis [2] [8] Geographically present in Avon, England (now Bristol). [2] [9] Dorsal vertebrae, ribs, gastralia, a shoulder girdle, humeri, a partial forearm, and a hand; additional bones from the neck, tail, pelvis, arm and legs that may represent the same individual. [8] [2] Asylosaurus NT.jpg
Chimaeriformes [10] Indeterminate [10] Geographically present in Bristol. [2] Indeterminate remains. [10]
Clevosaurus [11] C. hudsoni [11] Geographically present in Gloucestershire. [2] Partial cranial and post-cranial skeleton (holotype). [11] Clevosaurus cropped.jpg
Crinoidea [10] Indeterminate [10] Geographically present in Bristol. [2] Reworked from older Carboniferous sediments (Friars Point Limestone Formation). [12]
Cryptovaranoides [13] C. microlanius [14] Geographically present in Slickstones Quarry. [15] Holotype (partial skeleton) and referred isolated remains. [16] Cryptovaranoides.jpg
Diphydontosaurus [10] D. avonensis [10] Geographically present in Bristol. [2] Complete to near-complete specimens. [10] Diphydontosaurus life restoration.png
Herrerasauria? [8] Indeterminate [8] Geographically present in Durdham Down. [4] 3 indeterminate specimens. [8]
Hwiccewyrm [17] H. trispiculum [17] Geographically present in Slickstones Quarry. [17] Several specimens comprising a partial skeleton. [17] Discovered during the 1970s and listed as cf. Hypsognathus by Whiteside et al. (2016). [18] Hwiccewyrm trispiculum holotype.jpg
Hybodontiformes? [4] Indeterminate [4] Geographically present in Bristol. [2] Indeterminate remains. [4]
Gyrolepis [19] Indeterminate [19] Geographically present in Bristol. [2] Indeterminate remains. [19]
Kuehneosauridae [4] Indeterminate [4] Geographically present in Durdham Down. [4] Rib that may instead be an ulna belonging to Terrestrisuchus . [4]
Lissodus [4] L. minimus [4] Geographically present in Bristol. [2] Teeth. [4] Lissodus fossil cropped.png
Ornithischia [8] Indeterminate [8] Geographically present in Durdham Down. [4] Indeterminate specimen. [8]
Palaeosaurus [2] [8] P. cylindrodon [2] [8] Geographically present in Avon, England (now Bristol) and Bristol. [2] Two teeth (one destroyed in 1940). [2] Palaeosaurus both holotypes.png
Phytosauria [4] Indeterminate [4] Geographically present in Durdham Down. [4] Two teeth previously assigned to Mystriosuchinae. [4]
Planocephalosaurus [20] [21] P. robinsonae [20] [21] Geographically present in Bristol. [2] Skull (holotype) and a tooth. [20]
Plateosauria [22] Indeterminate [22] Geographically present in Durdham Down. [4] 22 partial specimens. [22]
Rhomphaiodon [4] R. minor [4] Geographically present in Bristol. [2] Teeth, including the subsidiary cusp of one tooth. [4]
Rileyasuchus [2] [23] [24] R. bristolensis [2] [23] [24] Geographically present in Bristol. [2] Two vertebrae and a humerus. [2]
Sauropodomorpha [8] Indeterminate [8] Geographically present in Durdham Down. [4] Indeterminate remains. [8]
Sphenosuchia [4] Indeterminate [4] Geographically present in Durdham Down. [4] A right femur initially named as Thecodontosaurus costa. [4]
Terrestrisuchus [4] [10] T. gracilis and indeterminate [4] [10] Geographically present in Bristol and South Wales. [2] Indeterminate and partial remains. [4] [10] Terrestrisuchus BW.jpg
Theropoda [2] Indeterminate [2] Geographically present in Avon, England (now Bristol) and Bristol. [2] A tooth, and a tibia that was once allied with Thecodontosaurus . [2] [8] Possibly similar to Pendraig milnerae . [25]
Thecodontosaurus [2] T. antiquus [2] Geographically present in Avon, England (now Bristol) and Bristol. [2] Partial cranial and postcranial remains (holotype is a lower jaw). [2] Thecodontosaurus.jpg

See also

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References

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Bibliography

Further reading