Paleobiota of the London Clay explained
A list of prehistoric and extant species whose fossils have been found in the London Clay, which underlies large areas of southeast England.
Plant fossils, especially seeds and fruits, are found in abundance and have been collected from the London Clay for almost 300 years.[1] Some 350 named species of plant have been found, making the London Clay flora one of the world's most diverse for fossil seeds and fruits.[2] The flora includes plant types found today in tropical forests of Asia and demonstrates the much warmer climate of the Eocene epoch, with plants such as Nypa (Nipah palms) and other palms being frequently encountered. The following plants list is incomplete and is based on the research by Marjorie Chandler.[1] and research works done by the paleobotanist Steven R. Manchester[3] and by professor of plant palaeobiology Margaret Collinson.[4]
Plants
Pteridophytes
- Diplazium sp. - similar to Diplazium smithianum
Lycopodiophytes
- Phylloglossum sp. – similar to Phylloglossum drummondii (pygmy clubmoss)
Gymnosperms
- †Doliostrobus stenbergi - fossils in the past named †Araucarites are said to be of this genus, it is now placed in its own family, †Doliostrobaceae.
- Pinaceae
- †Callitris curta (Callitrites curta) – cypress pine
- Podocarpus argillaelondinensis?
Angiosperms
- †Caryotispermum cantiense
- Nypa burtini (syn. Nipa burtini)
- †Palmospermum bracknellense
- †Palmospermum subglobulare
- †Myristicacarpum chandlerae
- Annonaceae - the custard apple family
- †Anonaspermum anonijorme - related to the genera Anonna and Polyalthia, most similar species is Annona muricata
- †Anonaspermum complanatum - related to Anonna and Melodorum
- †Anonaspermum corrugatum - related to the genera Anonna and Melodorum
- †Anonaspermum minimum - related to Dasymaschalon clusiflorum
- †Anonaspermum ovale - related to the genera Anonna and Melodorum
- †Anonaspermum pulchrum - related to Dasymaschalon clusiflorum
- †Anonaspermum rotundatum - distantly related to Polyauhia
- †Anonaspermum subcompressum
- †Laurocalyx fibrotorulosus
- †Laurocarpum minutissimum
- †Quercinium pasanioides
- Betulaceae – birch, alder and hornbeams
- Alnus richardsoni (syn. Petrophiloides richardsoni) – an alder
- †Ferrignocarpus bivalvis
- Myricaceae - wax-myrtle, bayberry family
- †Juglandicarya bognorensis
- †Juglandicarya depressa - the most common Juglandacarya species in the London Clay
- †Petrophiloides richardsoni - among the two most abundant Juglandaceae species in the London Clay
- †Bowerbankella tiliacoroidea
- †Menispermicarpum rariforme
- †Menispermoxylon - close to the extant genus Tinomiscium
- †Microtinomiscium foveolatum
- †Palaeosinomenium pulchrum
- †Tinomiscoidea scaphiformis
- Toricellia sp. - very similar to Torricellia bonesii from the Clarno Formation of Oregon
- Hamamelidaceae – witch-hazel family
- Symplocos quadrilocularis
- †Sapotispermum sheppeyense - allied to Chrysophyllum and Sideroxylon
- Bataceae - saltwort or beachwort
- †Leguminocarpon gardneri - seed pods most compatible to seed pods of species in Caesalpinia and Peltogyne
- †Palaeobruguiera elongata
- † Saxifragispermum spinosissimum
- Linaceae
- †Decaplatyspermum bowerbanki
- Erythropalum europaeum - Only one extant species of this genus which is a scandent shrubs or liana
- †Ochrosoidea sheppeyensis
- Burseraceae - the incense tree family
- †Bursericarpum aldwickense
- †Bursericarpum bognorense
- †Palaeobursera bognorensis
- †Protocommiphora europaea
- †Pseudosclerocarya subalata
- †Spondiaecarpon operculatum - according to several botanists, the pyritized specimens, originally described as Spondiaecarpon operculatum, represent locule casts of Torricellia sp.
- †Minsterocarpum alatum - closely related to the crape myrtle or crepe myrtle genus Lagerstroemia
- †Pachyspermum quinqueloculare
- †Tamesicarpum polyspermum
- †Echinocarpus sheppeyensis
- Moraceae – mulberry and fig family
- †Euphorbiospermum bognorense
- †Euphorbiospermum cooperi
- †Euphorbiospermum eocenicum
- †Euphorbiospermum obliquum
- †Euphorbiospermum subglobulare
- †Euphorbiospermum subovoideum
- †Euphorbiospermum venablesi
- †Euphorbiotheca sheppeyensis
- †Cucurbitospermum cooperi
- †Cucurbitospermum equiaelaterale
- †Cucurbitospermum sheppeyense
- †Cupanoides grandis - related to Cupania
- †Cupanoides tumidus - related to Cupania
- †Palaeallophyllus ovoideus
- †Palaeallophylus rotundatus
- †Sapindospermum revolutum
- †Sapindospermum subovatum
- †Citrispermum sheppeyense
- †Eozanthoxylon glandulosum
- †Zanthoxylon bognorense
- Celastraceae - the staff vine or bittersweet family
- †Canticarpum celastroides
- †Dunstania multilocularis
- †Portnallia sheppeyensis
- Nyssaceae - the tupelo family
- †Palaeonyssa multilocularis
- Curtisiaceae
- †Icacinicarya amygadaloidea
- †Icacinicarya bartonensis
- †Icacinicarya becktonensis
- †Icacinicarya bognorensis
- †Icacinicarya transversalis
- †Palaeophytocrene ambigua
- †Palaeophytocrene foveolata
- †Perforatocarpum echinatum
Animals
Animal fossils include bivalves, gastropods, nautilus, worm tubes, brittle stars and starfish, crabs, lobsters, fish (including shark and ray teeth), reptiles (particularly turtles), and a large diversity of birds. A few mammal remains have also been recorded. Preservation varies; articulated skeletons are generally rare. Of fish, isolated teeth are very frequent. Bird bones are not infrequently encountered compared to other lagerstätten, but usually occur as single bones and are often broken.
The following fauna species list follows Clouter (2007).[6]
Vertebrates
Mammals
Birds
Reptiles
Crocodylians
Snakes
Turtles and tortoises
Bony fish
- Acestrus elongatus, A. ornatus, Aglyptorhynchus sulcatus, A. venablasi, Xiphiorhynchus parvus and X priscus – swordfish relatives
- Acipenser toliapicus – a true sturgeon
- Albula oweni – a bonefish
- Ampheristus toliapicus – a scorpionfish
- Ardiodus marriotti – incertae sedis
- Argillichthys toombsi – a lizardfish relative
- Aulopopsis depressifrons, A. egertoni and Labrophagus esocinus – flagfins
- Beerichthys ingens and B. sp. – Two species of luvar or luvar-like fish[7]
- Bramoides brieni and Goniocranion arambourgi – pomfrets
- Cymbium proosti, Eocoelopoma colei, E. curvatum, E. gigas, E. hopwoodi, Eothynnus salmoneus, Scombramphodon crassidens, S. sheppeyensis, Scombrinus macropomus, S. nuchalis, Sphyraenodus priscus, Tamesichthys decipiens, Wetherellus brevior, W. cristatus, W. longior and Woodwardella patellifrons – mackerel and tuna relatives
- Diodon sp. – a porcupinefish
- Egertonia isodonta and Phyllodus toliapicus – Phyllodontidae
- Pycnodus bowerbanki and P. toliapicus – Pychnodontidae
- Whitephippus tamensis – a lampriform[8]
Cartilaginous fish
- Abdounia beaugi, Carcharhinus sp. and Physogaleus secundus – requiem sharks
- Aetobatis irregularis, Burnhamia daviesi, Myliobatis dixoni, M. latidens, M. raouxi and M. toliapicus – eagle rays
- Edaphodon bucklandi and Elasmodus hunteri – chimaeras
- Dasyatis davisi and D. wochadunensis – stingrays
- Isurolamna affinis, Isurus nova, I. praecursor, Lamna inflata, L. lerichei, Otodus obliquus, O. aksuaticus and Xiphodolamia eocaena – white sharks
- Megascyliorhinus cooperi, Scyliorhinus casieri, S. gilberti, S. pattersoni and S. woodwardi – catsharks
- Pararhincodon sp? – an indeterminate shark
- Raja sp.? – an indeterminate ray
- Squatina prima – an angel shark
Crustaceans
- Lobsters and shrimp
- Barnacles
- Arcoscapellum quadratum
- Scalpellum minutum and S. quadratum
- Crabs
- Basinotopus lamarckii Desmarest
- Campylostoma mutatiforme
- Cyclocorystes pulchellus
- Dromilites bucklandi & D. lamarki
- Glyphthyreus wetherelli
- Goniochela angulata Desmarest
- Harpactoxanthopsis cf. quadrilo
- Mithracia libinioides
- Oediosoma ambigua
- Portunites incerta & P. stintoni
- Xanthilites bowerbanki
- Zanthopsis bispinosa, Z. dufori, Z. leachei, Z. nodosa and Z. unispinosa
- Mantis shrimp
Molluscs
Cephalopods
- Aturia ziczac, Cimomia imperialis, Deltoidonautilus sowerbyi, Euciphoceras regale, Eutrephoceras urbanum, Hercoglossa cassiniana and Simplicioceras centrale – nautiluses
- Belopterina levesquei, Belosepia blainvillei and B. sepioidea – cuttlefish
Bivalves
Anomiidae
Gastropods
- Acrilla cymaea, Foratiscala perforata, Litoriniscala scalaroides and Undiscala primaeva – wentletraps
- Aporrhais sowerbii and Eotibia lucida – true conchs
- Bathytoma granata, B. turbida, Clavatula conica, Cochlespira gyrata, Conolithus concinnus, Endiatoma cerithiformis, Fusiturris selysi, F. simillima, F. wetherelli, Gemmula koninckii, Hemipleurotoma fasciolata, H. prestwichi, Pseudotoma topleyi, Surculites errans, S. velatus, Turricula crassa, T. helix, T. latimarginata, T. nanodis, T. symmetrica and T. teretrium – Conoidea
- Bonellitia clathratum and B. laeviuscula – nutmeg shells
- Bullinella sp., Crenilabium elongatum, ?Roxiana sp., Scaphander ?parisiensis and Tornatellaea simulata – opisthobranchs
- Camptoceratops prisca, Spiratella mercinensis, S. taylori and S. tutelina – sea-butterflies
- Cassis striata and Mambrina gallica – tun shells
- Cepatia cepacea, Daphnobela juncea, Litiopa sulculosa, Orthochetus elongatus and Stellaxis pulcher – incertae sedis
- Eocypraea oviformis – a cowrie
- Euspira glaucinoides and Sinum clathratum – moon snails
- Falsifusus londini, Fusinus coniferus, F. wetherelli, Pseudoneptunea curta, Siphonalia highgatensis, Streptolathyrus triliniatus, S. zonulatus, Wrigleya complanata and W. transversaria – true whelks
- Mathilda sororcula – Mathildidae
- Murex subcristatus and Paziella argillacea – murex snails
- Pachysyrnola sp. and Turbonilla subterranea – pyramid shells
- Patella sp. – Patellidae
- Ptychatractus aff. interuptus, Scaphella wetherelli and Volutospina nodosa – volutes
- Rilla cf. tenuistriata – Streptaxidae
- Ringicula turgida – Ringiculidae
- Sassia morrisi – a triton shell
- Sigapatella sp. – Calyptraeidae
- Tornus sp. and Turboella cf. misera – Rissoidae
- Xenophora extensum – a carrier shell
Tusk shells
Echinoderms
Annelids
Cnidarians
- Paracyathus brevis and P. caryophyllus – corals
- Graphularia wetherelli – hydrozoan
Other invertebrates
- Adenellopsis wetherelli, Aimulosia sp., Batopora clithridiata, Beisselina sp., Cribrilina sp., Didymosella sp., Dittosaria wetherelli, Entalophora sp., Idmonia sp., Lunulites sp., Nellia sp., Pachythecella incisa, Vibracellina sp. and Websteria crissioides – bryozoans
- Hemiptera gen. et sp. indet. – true bug
- Lingula tenuis, Terebratulina striatula and T. wardenensis – lampshells
- Stelleta sp. – sponge
Ichnofossils
- Ditrupa plana – polychaete worm tubes?
- Scolithos
Notes and References
- [Marjorie Elizabeth Jane Chandler|Chandler, M.E.J.]
- Book: Collinson, M. . 1983 . Fossil plants of the London Clay . The Palaeontological Association.
- Web site: Steven R Manchester - Publications. ResearchGate.
- Web site: Margaret Collinson - Publications - Research - Royal Holloway, University of London. pure.royalholloway.ac.uk.
- Poole, I., K.L. Davies and H.P. Wilkinson 2002. A review of the platanaceous woods from the Eocene paratropical rainforest of southeast England. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 139: 181–191.
- Web site: Clouter, Fred . London Clay Species List . June 29, 2007 . June 16, 2008.
- Alexandre F. Bannikov & James C. Tyler . 1995 . Phylogenetic revision of the fish families Luvaridae and †Kushlukiidae (Acanthuroidei), with a new genus and two new species of Eocene luvarids . . 81 . 81 . 1–45 . 10.5479/si.00810266.81.1.
- Davesne . D. . Andrews . J. V. . Beckett . H. T. . Giles . S. . Friedman . M. . 2024 . Three-dimensional anatomy of the early Eocene Whitephippus (Teleostei, Lampriformes) documents parallel conquests of the pelagic environment by multiple teleost lineages . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 43 . 3 . e2284998 . 10.1080/02724634.2023.2284998 .
- W. J Quayle . 1987 . English Eocene Crustacea (lobsters and stomatopod) . . 30 . 3 . 581–612 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120309062932/http://palaeontology.palass-pubs.org/pdf/Vol%2030/Pages%20581-612.pdf . 2012-03-09 .