Arén Formation Explained

Arén Formation
Type:Geological formation
Age:Campanian-Maastrichtian
~
Period:Maastrichtian
Prilithology:Sandstone
Otherlithology:Limestone
Namedfor:Arén
Region:Lérida
Coordinates:42.3°N 1.6°W
Paleocoordinates:34°N 1.6°W
Unitof:Tremp-Graus Basin
Underlies:Tremp Group

The Arén Formation or Arén Sandstone (Catalan: Calcàries i gresos d’Areny)[1] is a geological formation in the Tremp-Graus Basin around Arén, Catalonia, Spain whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous.[2] Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[3] The formation dates to the Campanian to Maastrichtian and underlies the Tremp Group.

Fossil content

Dinosaurs

Dinosaur eggs (Megaloolithus baghensis,[4] Sankofa pyrenaica),[5] sauropod tracks, unnamed sauropod remains, theropod tracks, euornithopod tracks, and an unnamed iguanodont remains present in Lérida Province.

Dinosaurs of the Arén Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Ricardoestesia[6] IndeterminateLérida
Hypselosaurus[7] IndeterminateLéridaLater found to be unknown sauropod remains
OrthomerusIndeterminateLérida
PararhabdodonP. isonensisLérida
RhabdodonR. priscusLérida
Titanosaurus[8] T. indicusLéridaLater found to be indeterminate sauropod remains

See also

Paleontological sites of interest

-Les Serretes. It is a place in Vilamitjana municipality known by the finding of an important paleontological site. In this site there have found dinosaur remains that belongs to the Second biggest hadrosaur found in Spain, and the biggest of Catalonia. Also there have been found two carnívor dinosaur tooth that belongs to two new dinosaur species morphotypes.[9] [10]

Picture of the dentary from les Serretes. Nowadays exposed on the Museum of Isona.

References

Bibliography

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Arengol Segú, 2014, p.31
  2. http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=displayStrata&geological_group=&formation=Ar%E9n&group_formation_member=Ar%E9n Arén Formation
  3. Weishampel et al., 2004, pp.588-593
  4. Prieto Márquez et al., 2001
  5. López Martínez & Vicens, 2012
  6. Listed as "cf. Ricardoestesia sp." in "15.8 Provincia de Lleida, Spain; 1. Arén Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 591.
  7. "15.8 Provincia de Lleida, Spain; 1. Arén Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 591.
  8. Listed as "Titanosaurus cf. indicus" in "15.8 Provincia de Lleida, Spain; 1. Arén Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 591.
  9. 2014, Fuentes-Buxó, R. & Dalla Vecchia, F.M. 2014. Les Serretes, a new Late Maastrichtian dinosaur site in the eastern Tremp Syncline (Southern Pyrenees, Spain). In: Paleontologia i Evolució. Reconstructing the Terrestrial end-cretaceous paleoenvironments in Europe. pp 70.https://www.academia.edu/10410968/Les_Serretes_a_new_Late_Maastrichtian_dinosaur_site_in_the_eastern_Tremp_Syncline_Southern_Pyrenees_Spain_
  10. Fuentes Buxó, R. 2012. Anàlisi de restes paleontològiques del Maastrichtià superior (Cretaci superior) procedents d’un nou jaciment situat en Les Serretes (Vilamitjana, Conca de Tremp, Espanya). Treball de fi de Master de Paleontologia (UAB-UB-ICP). 129 pp.https://www.academia.edu/10944379/An%C3%A0lisi_de_restes_paleontol%C3%B2giques_del_Maastrichti%C3%A0_superior_Cretaci_superior_procedents_d_un_nou_jaciment_situat_en_Les_Serretes_Vilamitjana_Conca_de_Tremp_Espanya_