Grünbach Formation
Grünbach Formation | |
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Stratigraphic range: Early Campanian 83–80 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓ | |
![]() Vertebrate fauna of the Grünbach Formation | |
Type | Geological formation |
Unit of | Gosau Group (Grünbach Syncline) |
Sub-units | Dreistetten conglomerate |
Underlies | Piesting Formation |
Overlies | Maiersdorf Formation |
Area | Lower Austria |
Thickness | over 150 m (490 ft) |
Lithology | |
Primary | Siltstone, sandstone, clay & marl |
Other | Conglomerate & coal |
Location | |
Region | Central Europe |
Country | Austria |
Extent | Grünbach Syncline |
Type section | |
Named for | Grünbach am Schneeberg |
The Grünbach Formation is an Austrian geological formation that dates to the early Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous. it forms part of the Gosau Group, and represents a marine regression event, representing a coastal/brackish environment, being underlain by the marine carbonate Maiersdorf Formation and overlain by the deep marine siliciclastic Piesting Formation. The main lithology is clay, marl, siltstone and sandstone, with a minor conglomerate component. Coal seams have also been noted.[1][2] It is notable for its fossils including those of dinosaurs and plants.
Vertebrate paleofauna
All remains have been found at a single locality, which is a thin marl seam in the Konstantin mining tunnel, within the Felbering Mine in the Neue Welt area north west of Muthmannsdorf in Lower Austria.[3] The initial remains were discovered in 1859 after an ornithopod tooth was found in a piece of coal in a dump outside the mine by Professor Ferdinand Stoliczka, and the productive seam discovered thereafter. The first material was described by Emanuel Bunzel in 1871[4] and then additional material was described by Harry Seeley in 1881.[5] Due to mining activity in the area ceasing at the end of the 19th century, no additional remains have been recovered since.
Squamates
Squamates of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
Araeosaurus | A. gracilis | Muthmannsdorf | Vertebra[5] |
Crocodyliformes
Crocodyliformes of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
Doratodon | D. carcharidens | Muthmannsdorf | "incomplete mandible, a fragmentary right maxilla, a parietal fragment, and isolated teeth"[6] | |||
Eusuchia | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | "mandible fragment and some postcranial material" |
Choristoderes
Choristoderes of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
Choristodera | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | "Two platycoelous vertebral centra"[7] |
Turtles
Turtles of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
Dortokidae[8] | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | Shell fragments | |||
cf. Kallokibotioninae | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | Shell fragments |
Pterosaurs
Pterosaurs of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
"Ornithocheirus" | "O". buenzeli | Muthmannsdorf | Remains found not diagnostic, remains referred to Azdarchidae and Pterodactyloidea indet. | |||
Azdarchidae | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | "Proximal portion of a humerus"[9] | Previously referred to "O". buenzeli | ||
Pterodactyloidea | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | "Articular region of a lower jaw, crushed phalangeal fragments" | Previously referred to "O". buenzeli |
Non-avian dinosaurs
Dinosaurs of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
Mochlodon | M. suessi | Muthmannsdorf | Cranial and postcranial elements | |||
Struthiosaurus | S. austriacus | Muthmannsdorf | Cranial and postcranial elements | |||
Tetanurae | Indeterminate | Muthmannsdorf | "Two fragmentary teeth" | Referred to by the dubious name ‘Megalosaurus pannoniensis’[5] Nearly identical to teeth known from the Csehbánya Formation[10] |
Flora
Most of these specimens were recovered from mining dumps near Grünbach am Schneeberg in lower Austria. The flora of the formation is considered to represent that of a high humidity subtropical climate, typical of the Euro-Sinian phytogeographical region.[11][12][13]
Color key
| Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
Bryophytes
Bryophytes of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic Position | Material | Notes | Images |
Stereisporites | Indeterminate | Spore, representative of Sphagnaceae |
Lycopodiophyta
Lycopodiophytes of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic Position | Material | Notes | Images |
Camarozonosporites | Indeterminate | Spore, representative of Lycopodiaceae | ||||
Retitriletes | Indeterminate | Spore, representative of Lycopodium |
Pteridophytes
Pteridophytes of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic Position | Material | Notes | Images |
Appendicisporites | A. tricuspidatus | Spore, probable affinities with Schizaeaceae | ||||
Cicatricosisporites | Indeterminate | Spore, probable affinities with Schizaeaceae | ||||
Cingulatisporites | Indeterminate | Spore, affinities with Anemia | ||||
Cladophlebis | C. gosauensis | |||||
Coniopteris | ? | |||||
Cyathidites | Indeterminate | Spore | ||||
Echinatisporites | Indeterminate | Spore | ||||
Equisetites | Indeterminate | A horsetail | ||||
Gosauopteris | G. danaeoides | Probable affinities with Marattiaceae | ||||
Gleicheniidites | G. senonicus | Spore | ||||
Leiotriletes | Indeterminate | Spore, representative of Lygodium | ||||
Marsileaceaephyllum | M. campanica | Marsileaceae, very similar to extant Marsilea | ||||
Matonisporites | Indeterminate | Spore, Found in situ with Monheimia | ||||
Microphyllopteris | M. austriaca | |||||
Microtaenia | M. austriaca | |||||
Monheimia | M. ungerii | affinities with Matoniaceae, particularly Phanerosorus | ||||
Polypodiaceoisporites | Indeterminate | Spore | ||||
Raphaelia | R. lobifolia | |||||
Sphenopteris | S. gruenbachiana, S. ungeri | Probable affinities with Schizaeaceae |
Gymnosperms
Gymnosperms of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic Position | Material | Notes | Images |
Geinitzia | G. formosa, G. reichenbachii | Pinopsida, Taxodioid affinity | ||||
cf. Lindleycladus | L. lanceolatus | |||||
Nilsonia | N. cf. holyi | Bennettitales | ||||
Pagiophyllum | Indeterminate | |||||
Pityosporites | Indeterminate | Pollen | ||||
Podozamites | Indeterminate | |||||
Taxiodiaceaepollenites | Indeterminate | Pollen, at least 2 taxa |
Angiosperms
Monocots
Monocots of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic Position | Material | Notes | Images |
Arecipites | Indeterminate | Pollen, representative of Palmae | ||||
Lysichiton | L. austriacus | Araceae, genus extant | ||||
Gruenbachia | G. pandanoides | Pandanaceae, reproductive organs of Pandanites | ||||
Pandanites | P. trinervis | Pandanaceae | ||||
Sabalites | S. longirhachis | Palm | ||||
Spinizonocolpites | Indeterminate | Pollen, representative of extant Nypa palm | ||||
Theiaiphyllum | T. kollmannii |
Dicots
Dicots of the Grünbach Formation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic Position | Material | Notes | Images |
Brasenites | B. krasserii | affinity with Brasenia | ||||
Celastrophyllum | Indeterminate, C. johannae | Hamamelidae | ||||
Ceratoxylon | Indeterminate | Reproductive structure | ||||
Clavatipollenites | Indeterminate | Pollen, representative of Chloranthaceae | ||||
Complexiopollis | Indeterminate | Pollen, affinities with Myricaceae | ||||
Compositiphyllum | C. serratum | |||||
Debeya | D. insignis | |||||
Dicotylophyllum | Indeterminate | |||||
Ettingshausenia | E. gruenbachiana, E. cf. laevis, Indeterminate | Platanaceae | ||||
Extremipollis | Indeterminate | Pollen | ||||
Grebenkia | G. europeica | |||||
cf. Grevilleophyllum | G. constans | |||||
Hungaropollis | Indeterminate | Pollen | ||||
Juglandiphyllites | J. pelagicus | possible affinity with Juglandaceae | ||||
Krutzschipollites | Indeterminate | Pollen | ||||
Laudaypollis | Indeterminate | Pollen | ||||
Leguminosites | L. mucronata | |||||
Longanulipollis | Indeterminate | Pollen | ||||
Menispermites | M. ettingshausenii, M. summesbergerii | |||||
Momipetes | Indeterminate | Pollen, similar to extant Engelhardtia | ||||
Myricophyllum | M. cf. zenkeri, M. serratum | Affinities with Myrica | ||||
Myrtacaedites | Indeterminate | Pollen, Representative of Myrtaceae | ||||
Normapolles | Indeterminate | Pollen, very abundant. possibly associated with Juglandaceae | ||||
Oculipollis | O. sp, O. parvoculus O.zaklinskaiaiae | Pollen | ||||
cf. Pandemophyllum | Indeterminate, P. cf. proteoides | |||||
Pseudoplicapollis | Indeterminate | Pollen | ||||
Quereuxia | Q. angulata | Possible affinity with Trapa | ||||
Rogersia | Indeterminate | |||||
Semioculipollis | Indeterminate | Pollen | ||||
Suemegipollis | Indeterminate | Pollen | ||||
Ternstroemites | T. (?) neueweltensis | |||||
Tricolpopollenites | Indeterminate | Pollen, At least 8 distinct taxa | ||||
Viburniphyllum | V. ermannii, V. austriacum |
References
- ^ Draganits, Erich; Wagreich, Michael; Hofer, Gerald; Hofmann, Christa-Charlotte; Reischenbacher, Doris; Grundtner, Marie-Louise; Neuhuber, Stephanie; Bottig, Magda (2011). "Stratigraphy and geochemical characterisation of Upper Cretaceous non-marine - marine cycles (Grünbach Formation, Gosau Group, Austria". Austrian Journal of Earth Sciences. 104 (2): 90–107.
- ^ Grundtner, Marie-Louise (2011). Sedimentologie und Sedimentpetrographie der Gosau-Gruppe bei Dreistetten-Muthmannsdorf (Niederösterreichische Kalkalpen) (Master's thesis). University of Vienna. pp. 21–35, 51–57, 71. doi:10.25365/thesis.17461.
- ^ Sachs, Sven; Hornung, Jahn J. (May 2006). "Juvenile ornithopod (Dinosauria: Rhabdodontidae) remains from the Upper Cretaceous (Lower Campanian, Gosau Group) of Muthmannsdorf (Lower Austria)". Geobios. 39 (3): 415–425. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2005.01.003. ISSN 0016-6995.
- ^ Bunzel, Emanuel (1871). "Die Reptilfauna der Gosau-Formation in der Neuen Welt bei Wiener-Neustadt". Abhandlungen der Kaiserlich-königlichen Geologischen Reichsanstalt. 5: 1–18.
- ^ a b c Seeley, H. G. (1881-02-01). "The Reptile Fauna of the Gosau Formation preserved in the Geological Museum of the University of Vienna: With a Note on the Geological Horizon of the Fossils at Neue Welt, west of Wiener Neustadt, by Edw. Suess, Ph.D., F.M.G.S., &c., Professor of Geology in the University of Vienna, &c". Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society. 37 (1–4): 620–706. doi:10.1144/GSL.JGS.1881.037.01-04.49. ISSN 0370-291X. S2CID 219235284.
- ^ Buffetaut, Eric (1979). "Revision der Crocodylia (Reptilia) aus den Gosau-Schichten (Ober-Kreide) von Österreich". Beiträge zur Paläontologie von Österreich. 6: 89–105.
- ^ Buffetaut, Eric (1989). "Erster nachweis von Choristodera (Reptilia, Diapsida) in der Oberkreide Europas: Champsosaurierwirbel aus den Gosau-Schichten (Campan) Niederösterreichs". Sitzungsberichten der Österreichs Akademis der Wissenschaften Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Klasse, Abteilung. 197: 389–394.
- ^ Rabi, Márton; Vremir, Mátyás; Tong, Haiyan (2012-09-01), "Preliminary Overview of Late Cretaceous Turtle Diversity in Eastern Central Europe (Austria, Hungary, and Romania)", Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology, Springer Netherlands, pp. 307–336, doi:10.1007/978-94-007-4309-0_19, ISBN 9789400743083
- ^ Buffetaut, Eric; Ősi, Attila; Prondvai, Edina (March 2011). "The pterosaurian remains from the Grünbach Formation (Campanian, Gosau Group) of Austria: a reappraisal of 'Ornithocheirus buenzeli'". Geological Magazine. 148 (2): 334–339. Bibcode:2011GeoM..148..334B. doi:10.1017/S0016756810000981. ISSN 1469-5081. S2CID 131376979.
- ^ Csiki-Sava, Zoltan; Buffetaut, Eric; Ősi, Attila; Pereda-Suberbiola, Xabier; Brusatte, Stephen L. (2015-01-08). "Island life in the Cretaceous - faunal composition, biogeography, evolution, and extinction of land-living vertebrates on the Late Cretaceous European archipelago". ZooKeys (469): 1–161. doi:10.3897/zookeys.469.8439. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 4296572. PMID 25610343.
- ^ Herman, Alexei B.; KVAČEK, JIŘÍ (2007). "Early Campanian Grünbach flora of Austria: systematic composition and palaeoclimatic interpretations". Acta Palaeobotanica. 47 (1): 37–55.
- ^ KVACEK, JIRÍ; HERMAN, ALEXEI (2004). "The Campanian Grünbach Flora of Lower Austria: palaeoecological interpretations". Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien. 106 A.
- ^ B., Herman, Alexei (2010). Late Cretaceous Grünbach Flora of Austria. Kvaček, Jiří. Wien: Naturhistorisches Museum. ISBN 9783902421432. OCLC 517260675.
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