The Villalba de la Sierra Formation is a Campanian to Maastrichtian geologic formation in Spain. Fossil dinosaur eggs have been reported from the formation, that comprises gypsiferous, grey, argillaceous mudstones and sandstones, deposited in a floodplain environmentLo Hueco, Fuentes (G1) at Fossilworks.orgWeishampel et al., 2004, pp.517-607 characterised by high seasonality and variability in water availability.
Fossil content
Dinosaur
Sauropods Sauropods of the Villalba de la Sierra Formation Taxon/ootaxon Species/oospecies Presence Materials Notes Images Lohuecotitan L. pandafilandi Lo Hueco. A disarticulated partial skeleton A titanosaurian sauropod QunkasauraMocho, P.; Escaso, F.; Marcos-Fernández, F.; Páramo, A.; Sanz, J. L.; Vidal, D.; Ortega, F. (2024). "A Spanish saltasauroid titanosaur reveals Europe as a melting pot of endemic and immigrant sauropods in the Late Cretaceous". Communications Biology. 7. 1016. doi:10.1038/s42003-024-06653-0. PMC 11375222. PMID 39232208. Q. pintiquiniestra Lo Hueco. A partial skeleton belonging to a single individual. A opisthocoelicaudiine saltasaurid; closely related to Abditosaurus kuehnei. LitosoolithusSanguino, F., de Celis, A., de la Horra, R., Fernández Fernández, E., Fernández Martínez, J., Marcos-Fernández, F., Pérez-García, A., Ortega, F., 2025. "A unique association of fusioolithid dinosaur eggs from the Upper Cretaceous of Spain (Poyos, central system)". Cretaceous Research 174, 106122. L. poyosi Poyos. Multiple partial to almost complete eggs and clutches. Very large fusioolithid titanosaurian eggs with very thin eggshells and dispersituberculated ornamentation. FusioolithusSanguino, F., de Celis, A., de la Horra, R., Fernández Fernández, E., Fernández Martínez, J., Marcos-Fernández, F., Pérez-García, A., Ortega, F., 2025. "A unique association of fusioolithid dinosaur eggs from the Upper Cretaceous of Spain (Poyos, central system)". Cretaceous Research 174, 106122. F. baghensis Poyos. Multiple partial to almost complete eggs and clutches. Widespread fusioolithid titanosaurian eggs with ridged compactituberculated ornamentation. MegaloolithusMoratalla García, J. J. (1993). "Restos indirectos de dinosaurios del registro español Paleoicnología de la Cuenca de Cameros (Jurásico Superior-Cretácico Inferior) y Paleoología de Cretácico Superior". PhD Thesis. M. siruguei Portilla. Isolated eggshells. European megaloolithid titanosaurian eggs with thick eggshells and compactituberculated ornamentation.
Theropods Theropods of the Villalba de la Sierra Formation Taxon Species Presence Materials Notes Images Abelisauridae indet. Indeterminate Poyos Teeth, cranial and postcranial elements An abelisaurid theropod; closely related to Arcovenator escotae. Velociraptorinae indet. Indeterminate A velociraptorine dromaeosaurid
Reptiles
Crocodiles Crocodiles of the Villalba de la Sierra Formation Taxon Species Presence Materials Notes Images Agaresuchus A. fontisensis A allodaposuchid eusuchian Lohuecosuchus L. megadontos A allodaposuchid eusuchianMusturzabalsuchusM. sp A allodaposuchid eusuchian
Turtles Turtles of the Villalba de la Sierra Formation Taxon Species Presence Materials Notes Images FoxemysF. mechinorum A bothremydid side-necked turtleIberoccitanemysI. convenarum A bothremydid side-necked turtle
See also List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations List of stratigraphic units with few dinosaur genera Dinosaur eggs
References
Bibliography