The Alcobaça Formation, previously known as the Guimarota Formation and also known as the Consolação Unit, is a geological formation in Portugal. It dates back to the Kimmeridgian stage of the Late Jurassic. It is an important source of information on the diversity of Late Jurassic mammals. Many of the fossils were collected from the now disused and flooded Camadas de Guimarota coal mine.
Vertebrate paleofauna Dinosaur eggs are geographically located in Lisbon District, Portugal."16.4 Distrito do Lisboa, Portugal; 1. Camadas de Alcobaça," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 548. Dinosaur tracks are geographically located in Leiria District, Portugal.
Chondrichthyes +Chondrichthyes of the Alcobaça FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImagesHybodusIndeterminateGuimarotaIsolated TeethAsteracanthusA. biformatusGuimarotaisolated teeth, fin-spine and a head-spinePolyacrodusIndeterminateGuimarotaIsolated teeth and a fin-spineOrectolobiformesIndeterminateGuimarotaOne isolated toothBatomorphiIndeterminateGuimarotaIsolated teeth
Osteichthyes +Osteichthyes of the Alcobaça Formation GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImagesGuimarotaichthysG. problematicusGuimarotaA non-teleost bony fishMacromesodonIndeterminateGuimarotaIsolated teethProscinetesIndeterminateGuimarotaIsolated teeth and prearticulars"Lepidotes"IndeterminateGuimarotaisolated lateral teeth, lower jaws, ganoid scales and isolated skull bonesTwo species of different size can be distinguished from the fossil materialIonoscopidaeIndeterminateGuimarotaIsolated teethMacrosemiidaeIndeterminateGuimarotaIsolated grasping toothCaturus?IndeterminateGuimarotaIsolated Teeth and a partial skullPachycormidaeIndeterminateGuimarota
Amphibians Albanerpetontids are one of the most numerous faunal components of the Guimarota mine with around 9000 isolated remains, including parts of the skull and limbs. Remains of indeterminate salamanders and frogs are also present but far rarer. Amphibians of the Alcobaça Formation Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images cf. Celtedens Indeterminate Porto PinheiroAlbanerpetontidcf. MarmorerpetonIndeterminateGuimarotaIndeterminate salamanderNabiaN. civiscientrixGuimarotaAlbanerpetontidDiscoglossidaeIndeterminateGuimarotaIndeterminate frog
Choristoderes Choristoderes of the Alcobaça Formation Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images Cteniogenys Indeterminate Guimarota
Ornithischians Indeterminate euornithopod remains located in Lisbon District. Indeterminate stegosaurid remains present in Lisbon District.
Ornithischians of the Alcobaça Formation Genus Species District Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images Dacentrurus D. armatus Lisboa Trimucrodon T. cuneatus Lisboa Later determined to be indeterminate ornithischian remains.
Saurischians Indeterminate sauropod remains located in Leiria and Lisboa."16.1 Distrito do Leiria, Portugal; 3. Camadas de Alcobaça," and "16.4 Distrito do Lisboa, Portugal; 1. Camadas de Alcobaça," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Pages 548-549.
Saurischians of the Alcobaça Formation Genus Species District Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes ImagesAllosaurus"16.1 Distrito do Leiria, Portugal; 3. Camadas de Alcobaça," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 548.IndeterminateGuimarotaMG 27804, an isolated maxilla belonging to a hatchling individualThe ontogenetically youngest and stratigraphically oldest Portuguese Allosaurus fossilAviatyrannisA. jurassicaGuimarota Ceratosaurus Indeterminate Lisboa TorvosaurusT. sp.TeethTeeth referrable to Torvosaurus.
Pterosaurs +Pterosaurs of the Alcobaça Formation GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImagesaff. RhamphorhynchusIndeterminateGuimarotaIsolated FragmentsPterodactyloideaIndeterminateGuimarotaTeeth
Turtles Turtles of the Alcobaça Formation Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images Peltochelys P. duchastelli Guimarota Platychelys Indeterminate Guimarota Pleurosternidae Indeterminate Guimarota
Lepidosauromorphs Lepidosauromorphs of the Alcobaça Formation Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images Becklesius B. hoffstetteri Guimarota Paramacellodid lizard Dorsetisaurus D. purbeckensis Guimarota Anguimorph lizard Marmoretta M. drescherae Guimarota Basal Lepidosauromorph Portugalophis P. lignites Guimarota Stem-snake Saurillodon S. proraformis Guimarota A lizard Saurillus S. henkeli, cf. obtusus Guimarota A lizard cf. OpisthiasIndeterminateAndrés, PombalA rhynchocephalian
Crocodyliformes Crocodyliformes of the Alcobaça Formation Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images Goniopholis G. baryglyphaeus Guimarota A goniopholidid Knoetschkesuchus K. guimarotae Guimarota An atoposaurid Lisboasaurus L. mitracostatus Guimarota Machimosaurus M. hugii Guimarota A marine machimosaurid
Mammals Mammals of the Alcobaça Formation Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images Bathmochoffatia B. hapax Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate Bernardodon B. sp, B. atlanticus Porto Pinheiro A pinheirodontid multituberculate Drescheratherium D. acutum Guimarota A paurodontid dryolestidan Dryolestes D. leirensis Guimarota A dryolestid dryolestidan Ecprepaulax E. anomala Porto Pinheiro A pinheirodontid multituberculate Guimarotodon G. leiriensis Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate Guimarotodus G. inflatus Guimarota A dryolestid dryolestidan Haldanodon H. exspectatus Guimarota A docodont Henkelodon H. naias, H. sp Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate Henkelotherium H. guimarotae Guimarota A dryolestidan Iberodon I. quadrituberculatus Porto Pinheiro A pinheirodontid multituberculate Kielanodon K. hopsoni Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate Krebsotherium K. lusitanicum Guimarota A dryolestid dryolestidan Kuehneodon K. guimarotensis, K. dietrichi, K. simpsoni, K. uniradiculatus, K. sp Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate Laolestes L. andresi Porto Pinheiro A dryolestid dryolestidan Meketibolodon M. robustus Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate Meketichoffatia M. krausei, M. sp Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate Nanolestes N. krusati Porto Pinheiro A cladotherian N. drescherae Guimarota Paulchoffatia P. delgadoi Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate Pinheirodon P. sp, P. vastus, P. pygmaeus Porto Pinheiro A pinheirodontid multituberculate Plesiochoffatia P. thoas, P. peperethos Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate Portopinheirodon P. asymmetricus Porto Pinheiro A dryolestid dryolestidan Priacodon Indeterminate Porto Pinheiro A triconodontid Proalbionbaatar P. plagiocyrtus Guimarota A multituberculate of uncertain placement Pseudobolodon P. dryas, P krebsi, P. oreas Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate Renatodon R. amalthea Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate ? Tinodon Indeterminate Porto Pinheiro A tinodontid symmetrodont Xenachoffatia X. oinopion Guimarota A paulchoffatiid multituberculate Paulchoffatiidae Indeterminate Guimarota 4 distinct genera with 7 species Pinheirodontidae Indeterminate Porto Pinheiro
Invertebrate Paleofauna
Ostracods +Ostracods of the Alcobaça FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImagesCetacellaC. armataCetacella is a typical component of Late Jurassic brackish water environments in Europe. Member of the CypridaceaC. inermisC. striataTheriosynoecumT. wyomingenseMember of the CytheraceaBisulcocyprisB. pahasapensisMember of the CytheraceaTimiriaseviaT. guimarotensisMember of the CytheraceaPoisiaP. bicostataMember of the CytheraceaP. clivosaDicrorygimaD. reticulataMember of the CytheraceaDarwinulaD. leguminellaMember of the Darwinulacea
Mollusca
Bivalves +Bivalves of the Alcobaça FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImagesIsognomonI. rugosusGuimarotaDozens of well preserved shells sometimes making up entire stratigraphic layersThis genus is regarded as an indicator for brachyhaline water conditions and it was likely buried in its natural habitat"Unio""U." cf. alcobacensisGuimarotaDozens of well preserved shells with articulated valvesfreshwater clam
Gastropods +Gastropods of the Alcobaça FormationGenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImagesTeinostomaIndeterminateGuimarotaShellsBoring traces of clionidid sponges on the shells of this taxon indicate a marine lifestyleCryptaulaxIndeterminateGuimarotaShellsMelampoidesM. jurassicusGuimarotaShellsBoring traces of clionidid sponges on the shells of this taxon indicate a marine lifestyle, modern relatives like Melampus also venture onto land, which can also be expected from M. jurassicus
See also List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Portugal
References
Bibliography