Forest Marble Formation Explained

Forest Marble Formation
Type:Geological formation
Period:Bathonian
Prilithology:Mudstone, Limestone
Otherlithology:Siltstone, Sandstone
Namedfor:Wychwood Forest
Region:Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Dorset
Unitof:Great Oolite Group
Underlies:Cornbrash Formation
Overlies:White Limestone Formation, Athelstan Oolite Formation, Chalfield Oolite Formation, Corsham Limestone Formation, Frome Clay
Thickness:Up to 5m thick in Buckinghamshire, 10 to 30m in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, 30 to about 50m in north Dorset, 30 to 75m in south Dorset

The Forest Marble is a geological formation in England. Part of the Great Oolite Group, it dates to the late Bathonian stage of the Middle Jurassic.[1]

Lithology

The primary lithology of the formation typically consists of greenish grey variably calcareous silicate mudstone, with lenticular cross bedded limestone units deposited in a marine setting.[2]

Paleobiota

Despite the formation being nearly entirely marine, at several localities abundant remains of terrestrial microvertebrates are found, the primary locality being the Kirtlington Mammal Bed (designated 3p) in Kirtlington Quarry near Kirtlington, Oxfordshire.[3] Another important locality is Watton Cliff near Eype in Dorset.[4]

Fish

Fish of the Forest Marble Formation[5]
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages
HybodusHybodus obtususWatton CliffA hybodont shark
EgertonodusEgertonodus duffini
Secarodus Secarodus polyprion
StrophodusSpp.A hybodont shark, formerly considered to be Asteracanthus
LonchidionIndeterminateA hybodont shark
Parvodus Parvodus pattersoni
LissodusLissodus leiopleurus
Palaeocarcharias?[6] IndeterminatePossibly the oldest lamniform shark

Dinosaurs

Ornithischians

Ornithischians of the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionAbundanceNotesImages
Alocodon[7] Indeterminate
  • Oxfordshire
Hylaeosaurus[8] Indeterminate Dubious
Iguanodon[10] Indeterminate Dubious, probably indeterminate ornithischian

Saurischians

Saurischians reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Bothriospondylus[12] B. robustus
  • Wiltshire
"Dorsal vertebra."[13] Reassigned to Marmarospondylus
Indeterminate
  • Oxfordshire
CardiodonC. rugulosus
  • Wiltshire
Cetiosaurus[14] C. oxoniensis
  • Oxfordshire
A cetiosaurid sauropod.
"Cetiosaurus"C. glymptonensis
  • Oxfordshire
"Caudal vertebrae."[15] Actually indeterminate theropod remains.
Dromaeosauridae[16] Indeterminate
  • Oxfordshire
"Teeth"Remains represent three species. Same species also present in the Chipping Norton Limestone. Other authors have questioned the attribution to dromaeosaurs.[17]
MarmarospondylusDorsal verebraDubious genus of sauropod
Megalosaurus[18] M. bucklandii[19]
  • Gloucestershire
Indeterminate[20]
  • Dorset[21]
  • Oxfordshire
Actually indeterminate theropod remains.

Amphibians

Amphibians reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Anoualerpeton A. priscusKirtlingtonAlbanerpetontid
Eodiscoglossus E. oxoniensis KirtlingtonFrog, probably not closely related to type species of genus.
Marmorerpeton M. kermacki, M. freemaniKirtlington, Watton CliffNeotenic stem-group salamander (Caudata) belonging to Karauridae
IndeterminateKirtlington2 distinct taxa, one common one small, referred to as Kirtlington Salamander A and B, respectively

Lepidosauromorphs

Lepidosauromorphs reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Balnealacerta B. silvestris KirtlingtonScincomorph lizard
Bellairsia B. gracillisKirtlingtonSquamate
Eophis E. underwoodiKirtlingtonStem-snake
Marmoretta M. oxoniensis KirtlingtonBasal Lepidosauromorph
Oxiella O. tenuisKirtlingtonSquamate
Parviraptor cf. estesiKirtlingtonStem-snake
SaurillodonS. marmorensis KirtlingtonParamacellodid lizard
RhynchocephaliaIndeterminateKirtlington

Crocodyliformes

Crocodyliformes reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
cf. GoniopholisIndeterminateKirtlington
cf. Theriosuchus IndeterminateKirtlington

Mammaliamorphs

Mammaliamorphs reported from the Forest Marble Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Amphitherium Indeterminate?Kirtlington, Watton CliffThe first Mesozoic mammal to be described. Initially believed to be a marsupial. Close relative of Palaeoxonodon and Peramuridae.
BorealestesB. serendipitusKirtlington, Watton Cliffmolar fragmentsDocodonta
DobunnodonB. mussettiKirtlingtonmolar fragments
GobiconodonG. bathoniensisKirtlington, Watton CliffGobiconodontid
Hahnotherium H. antiquum Kirtlington, Watton CliffMultituberculate
KermackodonK. multicuspis, K. oxfordensisKirtlington, Watton CliffAllotherian belonging to the family Kermackodontidae, K. oxfordensis previously placed in separate genus Eleutherodon.
KirtlingtoniaK. catenataKirtlingtonHaramiyid
KrusatodonK. kirtlingtonensisKirtlingtonTegotheriid docodontan
Millsodon M. superstes Kirtlington, Watton CliffHaramiyid
Morganucodon M. tardus Watton CliffMorganucodontidae
Palaeoxonodon P. ooliticus Kirtlington, Watton CliffAmphitheriid
Paritatodon P. kermackiKirtlingtonDocodontan or Shuotheriidae
Peraiocynodon P. majorKirtlington
Phascolotherium P. simpsoniKirtlington, Watton CliffAmphilestidae
SimpsonodonS. oxfordensisKirtlingtonDocodonta
Shuotherium IndeterminateKirtingtonShuotheriidae
Stereognathus S. ooliticusKirtlington, Watton CliffTritylodontidae
Stylidens S. hookeriWatton CliffMorganucodontidae
Wareolestes W. rexKirtlingtonMorganucodonta
IndeterminateKirtlington
IndeterminateKirtlington
DryolestidaIndeterminateLower molars
IndeterminateWatton Cliff

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Middle Jurassic, Europe)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 538–541. .
  2. Web site: Forest Marble Formation . . BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units . 1 November 2018.
  3. Web site: Kirtlington 3p (Mammal Bed) . 28 August 2018 . Paleobiology Database .
  4. Web site: Watton Cliff (West Cliff), Dorset . 28 August 2018 . Paleobiology Database .
  5. Rees . Jan . Underwood . Charlie J. . January 2008 . Hybodont Sharks of the English Bathonian and Callovian (Middle Jurassic) . Palaeontology . en . 51 . 1 . 117–147 . 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00737.x . 0031-0239.
  6. Underwood . Charlie J. . Ward . David J. . May 2004 . Neoselachian sharks and rays from the British Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) . Palaeontology . en . 47 . 3 . 447–501 . 10.1111/j.0031-0239.2004.00386.x . 0031-0239.
  7. Listed as "cf. Alocodon sp." in "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  8. Listed as "?Hylaeosaurus sp." in "10.13 Wiltshire, England; 3. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  9. "10.13 Wiltshire, England; 3. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  10. Listed as "?Iguanodon sp." in "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  11. "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  12. "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation" and "10.13 Wiltshire, England; 3. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 540.
  13. "Table 13.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 270.
  14. "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 538, 540.
  15. "Table 13.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 265.
  16. Wills . S. . Underwood . C. J. . Barrett . P. M. . 2023 . Machine learning confirms new records of maniraptoran theropods in Middle Jurassic UK microvertebrate faunas . Papers in Palaeontology . 9 . 2 . e1487 . 10.1002/spp2.1487. free .
  17. Yu . Yilun . Yi . Hongyu . Wang . Shiying . Pei . Rui . Zhang . Chi . Xu . Xing . December 1, 2023 . A Jurassic Tibetan theropod tooth reveals dental convergency and its implication for identifying fragmentary fossils . The Innovation Geoscience . en . 1 . 3 . 100040–10 . 10.59717/j.xinn-geo.2023.100040 . 2959-8753. free .
  18. Weishampel, et al. (2004). Pages 539-540.
  19. "10.3 Gloucestershire, England; 4. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 538.
  20. "10.7 Dorset, England; 2. Forest Marble Formation" and "10.11 Oxfordshire, England; 6. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Pages 539-540.
  21. "10.7 Dorset, England; 2. Forest Marble Formation," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 539.
  22. Scheyer. Torsten M.. Anquetin. Jérémy. March 2008. Bone histology of the Middle Jurassic turtle shell remains from Kirtlington, Oxfordshire, England. Lethaia. 41. 1. 85–96. 10.1111/j.1502-3931.2007.00044.x. 0024-1164.