The Marnes de Dives is a geological formation in Normandy, France. It dates back to the upper part of the Callovian stage of the Middle Jurassic.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. . And is partially equivalent to the Oxford Clay in England. It predominantly consists of ooidal marl, rich in pyrite and lignite, interbedded with thin limestone horizons. It is best exposed at the base of the Falaises des Vaches Noires (Cliffs of Black Cows) as well as the foreshore at low tide. It is known for its fossils, notably those of ammonites, marine crocodiles and fragmentary remains of dinosaurs, mostly theropods.
Vertebrate fauna
Dinosaurs Dinosaurs of the Marnes de Dives TaxaSpecies Presence DescriptionImagesPiveteausaurusP. divesensisVaches Noires Braincase."Table 4.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 73.StreptospondylusS. altdorfensisVaches NoiresMegalosaurid dinosaur. Originally a chimera of dinosaur and marine crocodile material. redefined to solely refer to the syntype dinosaur material consisting of "several vertebrae series, single vertebrae, a partial left pubis and limb elements". May be from the overlying Marnes de Villers, but the Marnes de Dives is much more productive and was better exposed when it was collected in the 18th century.SauropodaIndeterminateVaches NoiresRemains consist of a single vertebra, destroyed in 1944, may be from the overlying Marnes de VillersA. Bigot Vertèbre de Cetiosaurus de l’Oxfordien de Dives
Bull. Soc. Linn. Normandie, 9 (1895), p. XXXIIIStegosauriaIndeterminateVaches NoiresRemains consist of 2 associated vertebra in hard limestoneTheropodaIndeterminateVaches NoiresMultiple taxa represented, including indeterminate megalosaurid material possibly referrable to the two named taxa alongside fragmentary remains of Allosauroids,Un metatarsien de dinosaure theropode dans le Jurassique des Falaises des Vaches Noires (Calvados, Normandie, France). Bulletin Sciences et Geologie Normandes 1:49-53 Including dentary and maxilla fragments. Other theropod remains include an associated braincase and frontal.E. Buffetaut, J. Enos Un nouveau fragment crânien de dinosaure théropode du Jurassique des Vaches Noires (Normandie, France) remarques sur la diversité des théropodes jurassiques européens C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. II, 314 (1992), pp. 217-222 Allosauroid material bears similarities to metriacanthosaurids. Material is of unclear stratigraphic provenance, and may belong to overlying cliff strata.
Crocodyliformes Crocodyliformes of the Marnes de DivesTaxaSpeciesPresenceDescriptionImagesTyrannoneustesT. lythrodectikosVaches NoiresA geosaurine metriorhynchidMetriorhynchusM. geoffroyiiVaches NoiresA metriorhynchine metriorhynchidNeosteneosaurusN. edwardsiLepage Y ,Buffetaut E, Hua S, Martin JE, Tabouelle J. 2008. Catalogue descriptif, anatomique, géologique et historique des fossiles présentés à l’exposition « Les Crocodiliens fossiles de Normandie » (6 novembre–14 decembre 2008). Bulletin de la Société Géologique de Normandie et des Amis du Muséum du Havre 95: 5–152 .Villers-sur-MerA machimosaurid thalattosuchianProexochokefalosP. hebertiVillers-sur-MerA machimosaurid thalattosuchianSuchodusS. durobrivensisVillers-sur-MerA geosaurine metriorhynchidThalattosuchusT. superciliosusVillers-sur-MerA metriorhynchine metriorhynchid
Icthyosaurs Ichthyosaurs of the Marnes de DivesTaxaSpeciesPresenceDescriptionImagesOphthalmosaurusIndeterminateVaches NoiresA ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur
Fish Fish of the Marnes de DivesSimon Beaufils (2022) Composition et réseau trophique de l'ichtyofaune du Jurassique moyen (Callovien) des Vaches Noires, Calvados, NormandieTaxaSpeciesPresenceDescriptionImagesLeedsichthysJ. J. Liston and D. Gendry. 2015. Le Python de Caen, les algues géantes d'Amblie, et austres spécimens perdus de Leedsichthys d'Alexandre Bourienne, Jules Morière, Eugène Eudes-Deslongchamps et Alexandre Bigot. L'Echo des falaises 19:17-34L. problematicusVaches NoiresA giant pachycormiform fish, may be from overlying Marnes de VilliersTrachymetoponIndeterminateA giant coelacanthcf. HypsocormusIndeterminateA pachycormid fishPycnodontiformesIndeterminateLepidotidaeIndeterminateA ginglymodianIchthyodectiformesIndeterminateA stem-group teleost
See also List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
References