The Taynton LimestoneWeishampel, 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. . is a geological formation in Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom. It dates to the Middle Jurassic, mid-Bathonian stage.Benson, R.B.J. (2009). "An assessment of variability in theropod dinosaur remains from the Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) of Stonesfield and New Park Quarry, UK and taxonomic implications for Megalosaurus bucklandii and Iliosuchus incognitus." Palaeontology, It predominantly consists of ooidal grainstone. The term "Stonesfield Slate" refers to slaty limestone horizons within the formation that during the 18th and 19th centuries were extensively quarried for use in roof tiling within the vicinity of Stonesfield, Oxfordshire. Previously these were thought to belong to the Sharp's Hill Formation, but boreholes and shaft sections suggest that at least three horizons within the Taynton Limestone were quarried for the slate. These horizons are well known for producing a diverse set of fossils including those of plants, insects as well as vertebrates, including some of the earliest known mammals, pterosaurs as well as those of first dinosaur ever described, Megalosaurus.
Vertebrate fauna Sauropsids
Sauropsids of the Stonesfield Slate TaxaSpecies MaterialLocation Notes ImagesIliosuchusI. incognitusTwo iliaA theropod dinosaur. Not distingusiable from MegalosaurusMegalosaurusM. bucklandiiIsolated remains including several dentaries, maxillas and postcranial bones from multiple individualsA megalosaurid theropod dinosaur, also present in the Chipping Norton and Sharp's Hill FormationsKlobiodonMichael O'Sullivan; David M. Martill (2018). "Pterosauria of the Great Oolite Group (Bathonian, Middle Jurassic) of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, England". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. Online edition. doi:10.4202/app.00490.2018.K. rocheiPartial dentary with teethA rhamphorhynchid pterosaurProtochelysP. blakiiIsolated epidermal scales, coracoid, plastron fragmentNomen dubium, Testudinata indetTeleosaurus T. geoffroyiAn indeterminate Teleosaurid. Probably the same animal as Teleosaurus cadomensis.MonofenestrataIndeterminateVertebraeRhamphorhynchidae IndeterminateVarious isolated remains
Mammaliamorphs Mammaliamorphs of the Stonesfield Slate TaxaSpecies MaterialLocation Notes ImagesAmphilestesA. broderipiiTwo left mandibles and right mandibleStonesfield Slate quarriesAmphilestidAmphitheriumA. prevostiiPartial left mandible and a right mandibleAmphitheriidaeA. rixoniRight dentaryStereognathusS. ooliticusTeethTritylodontidPhascolotheriumP. bucklandiiRight mandible and left ramusAmphilestid
Fish Fish of the Stonesfield Slate TaxaSpecies MaterialLocation Notes ImagesBreviacanthusBreviacanthus brevisStonesfield Slate quarriesGanodusSpp.Chimaeriformes Ischyodus Ischyodus emarginatusAspidorhynchus Aspidorhynchus crassusPholidophorusIndeterminateLeptolepis Leptolepis disjectusPycnodus IndeterminateMesodonMesodon tenuidensMicrodonMicrodon biserialisLepidotusLepidotus tuberculatusMacrosemiusMacrosemius sp.UndinaUndina ? barroviensisA coelacanthFerganoceratodusFerganoceratodus phillipsiA lungfishEgertonodusEgertonodus duffiniA hybodont sharkPalaeocarcharias?IndeterminatePossibly the oldest lamniform shark
Invertebrate fauna Invertebrates of the Stonesfield Slate TaxaSpecies PresenceMaterial Notes ImagesBlapsiumB. egertoni Stonesfield SlateNHM, In. 34379, a ventral compression missing the head An ommatine beetle PalaeontinaP. ooliticaForewingType species of PalaeontinidaePheugothemisP. westwoodiDamsel-dragonfly of uncertain placement, while historically described as a member of Gomphidae, Huang et al. 2019 state that it "can[not] be accurately attributed to the Gomphidae, or even the Gomphida."
Flora The flora known from the Stonesfield Slate comprises a relatively diverse flora, with 25 morphospecies present. It primarily represents a coastal environment, perhaps seasonally dry with mangrove like environments. It is a noticeably different assemblage than the Yorkshire floras of equivalent age, possibly because the latter is thought to represent a deltaic, wetland environment. Flora of the Stonesfield Slate TaxaSpecies MaterialLocation Notes Imagescf. DictyophyllumIndeterminateFern, Member of DipteridaceaePhlebopterisP. woodwardiiFern, Member of Matoniaceaecf. ConiopterisIndeterminateFern, Member of DicksoniaceaeSagenopterisS. colpodesMember of CaytonialesCtenozamitescf. leckenbyiMember of PeltaspermalesPachypterisP. macrophyllaA "Pteridosperm", likely either a member of Peltaspermales or CorystospermalesKomlopterisK. speciosaMember of CorystospermalesCtenisC. cf. sulcicaulis, spCycadPtilophyllumP. pectiniformis, P. cf hirsutumMember of BennettitalesSphenozamitesS. belliiMember of Bennettitales?WeltrichiaIndeterminateMember of BennettitalesTaeniopterisT. vittataMember of BennettitalesBucklandiaB. bucklandiiMember of Bennettitales formerly Conites bucklandiiGinkgoG. aff longifoliusMember of GinkgoalesBrachyphyllumB. expansumMember of PinalesElatocladus E. cf. laxusMember of PinalesMasculostrobusIndeterminateMember of PinalesClassostrobusIndeterminateCheirolepidiaceaeAraucarites A. brodeiAraucariaceaePelourdea A conifer of uncertain affinitiesCarpolithesCarpolithes diospyriformis, Carpolithes sp.Plantae indetPhyllitessp.Morphotaxon for leaves of uncertain affinities
See also
List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
References