Fossil Reptiles of Great Britain

382 Pages·1995·19.197 MB·English

by  M. J. Benton, P. S. Spencer (auth.)

Fossil Reptiles of
Great Britain
M.J. Benton and P.S. Spencer
Department of Geology,
University of Bristol,
Bristol, UK.
GeR Editors: WA. Wimbledon and D. Palmer
JOINT~
NATURE)Wf
CONSERVATION
COMMITTEE
SPRINGER-SCIENCE+ BUSINESS MEDIA, B. V.
First edition 1995
© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
Originally published by Chapman and Hali in 1995
Typeset in lO/12 Garamond ITC Book
ISBN 978-94-010-4231-4 ISBN 978-94-011-0519-4 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-0519-4
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ofpaper).
THE GEOLOGICAL CONSERVATION REVIEW SERIES
The comparatively small land area of Great Britain contains an unrivalled sequence of
rocks, mineral and fossil deposits, and a variety of landforms that span much of the
earth's long history. Well-documented ancient volcanic episodes, famous fossil sites and
sedimentary rock sections used internationally as comparative standards, have given
these islands an importance out of all proportion to their size. The long sequences of
strata and their organic and inorganic contents have been studied by generations of
leading geologists, thus giving Britain a unique status in the development of the science.
Many of the divisions of geological time used throughout the world are named after
British sites or areas, for instance, the Cambrian, Ordovician and Devonian systems, the
Ludlow Series and the Kimmeridgian and Portlandian stages.
The Geological Conservation Review (GCR) was initiated by the Nature Conservancy
Council in 1977 to assess, document and ultimately publish accounts of the most
important parts of this rich heritage. Since 1991, the task of publication has been
assumed by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on behalf of the three country
agencies, English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Countryside Council for
Wales. The GCR series of volumes will review the current state of knowledge of the key
earth-science sites in Great Britain and provide a firm basis on which site conservation
can be founded in years to come. Each GCR volume will describe and assess networks of
sites of national or international importance in the context of a portion of the geological
column, or a geological, palaeontological or mineralogical topic. The full series of
approximately 50 volumes will be published by the year 2000.
Within each individual volume, every GCR locality is described in detail in a self
contained account, consisting of highlights (a precis of the special interest of the site),
an introduction (with a concise history of previous work), a description, an
interpretation (assessing the fundamentals of the site's scientific interest and
importance), and a conclusion (written in simpler terms for the non-specialist). Each site
report is a justification of a particular scientific interest at a locality, of its importance in
a British or international setting and ultimately of its worthiness for conservation.
The aim of the Geological Conservation Review series is to provide a public record of
the features of interest in sites being considered for notification as Sites of Special
Scientific Interest (SSSIs). It is written to the highest scientific standards but in such a
way that the assessment and conservation value of the site is clear. It is a public
statement of the value given to our geological and geomorphological heritage by the
earth-science community which has participated in its production, and it will be used by
the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, English Nature, the Countryside Council for
Wales and Scottish Natural Heritage in carrying out their conservation functions. The
three country agencies are also active in helping to establish sites of local and regional
importance. Regionally Important GeologicaVGeomorphological Sites (RIGS) augment
the SSSI coverage, with local groups identifying and conserving sites which have
educational, historical, research or aesthetic value, enhancing the wider earth science
conservation perspective.
All the sites in this volume have been proposed for notification as SSSIs; the fmal
decision to notify, or renotify, lies with the governing Councils of the appropriate
country conservation agency.
Information about the GCR publication programme may be obtained from:
Earth Science Branch,
Joint Nature Conservation Committee,
Monkstone House,
City Road,
Peterborough PEl 1}Y.
Fossil Reptiles of Great Britain
Contents
Aclrnowledgements x
Access to the countryside xi
Museum abbreviations xii
1 Introduction 1
Reptilian evolution 4
Stratigraphy 7
How the sites were selected 9
2 British Carboniferous fossil reptile sites 13
3 British Permian fossil reptile sites 17
Introduction: Pennian stratigraphy and sedimentary setting 19
Reptile evolution during the Permian 19
British Pennian reptile sites 20
Middridge, Durham 21
Cutties Hillock, Grampian 24
Masonshaugh Quarry, Cummingstown, Grampian 29
4 British Triassic fossil reptile sites 33
Introduction: Triassic stratigraphy and sedimentary setting 35
Reptile evolution during the Triassic 37
British Triassic reptile sites 38
Grinshill Quarries, Shropshire 40
Coten End Quarry, Warwick, Warwickshire 46
Guy's Cliffe, Warwick, Warwickshire 50
Mid Triassic of Devon 51
High Peak (Sidmouth), east Devon 51
Otterton Point (Budleigh Salterton), east Devon 60
Late Triassic of Scotland 62
Lossiemouth East Quarry 62
Spynie 69
Findrassie 71
Upper Triassic of South Wales and central and south-west England 72
Bendrick Rock, South Glamorgan 73
Aust Cliff, Avon 75
Vertebrate-bearing fissure deposits of south-west England and
South Wales 80
Slickstones (Cromhall) Quarry, Avon 83
Durdham Down, Avon 88
Emborough Quarry, Somerset 90
Tytherington Quarry, Avon 92
vii
Contents
5 British Early Jurassic fossil reptile sites 97
Introduction: Jurassic stratigraphy and sedimentary setting 99
Reptile evolution during the Jurassic 102
British Jurassic reptile sites 102
Early Jurassic 103
Lyme Regis cPinhay Bay-Charmouth), Dorset 105
Whitby-Saltwick (East Pier-Whitestone Point), Yorkshire 111
Loftus, Yorkshire 119
6 British Mid Jurassic fossil reptile sites 123
Introduction: British Mid Jurassic reptile sites 125
Mid Jurassic (Bathonian) of Scotland 131
Kildonnan and Eilean Thuilm, Eigg 131
Mid Jurassic (Bathonian) of southern England 134
New Park Quarry, Longborough, Gloucestershire 135
Stonesfield, Oxfordshire 139
Huntsman's Quarry, Naunton, Gloucestershire 147
Shipton-on-Cherwell Quarry, Oxfordshire 150
Kirtlington Old Cement Works Quarry, Kirtlington, Oxfordshire 156
7 British Late Jurassic fossil reptile sites 165
Introduction: British Late Jurassic reptile sites 167
Oxfordian 167
Kimmeridgian 167
Portlandian: Portland Beds 169
Late Portlandian to Early Berriasian: Purbeck Beds 169
Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) 170
Furzy Cliff, Overcombe, Dorset 171
Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) of England 174
Smallmouth Sands, Weymouth, Dorset 174
Roswell Pits, Ely, Cambridgeshire 179
Chawley Brick Pits, Cumnor, Hurst Oxfordshire 182
Kimmeridge Bay (Gaulter Gap-Broad Bench), Dorset 185
Encombe Bay, Swyre Head-Chapman's Pool, Dorset 190
Late Jurassic (Portlandian) of England 195
Isle of Portland reptile sites 195
Bugle Pit, Hartwell, Buckinghamshire 200
Durlston Bay, Dorset 203
8 British Cretaceous fossil reptile sites 215
Introduction: Cretaceous stratigraphy and sedimentary setting 217
Reptile evolution during the Cretaceous 220
British Cretaceous reptile sites 221
Early Cretaceous: Wealden (Berriasian-Barremian) 221
Hastings, East Sussex 224
Black Horse Quarry, Telham, East Sussex 229
Hare Farm Lane, Brede, East Sussex 231
Smokejacks Pit, Ockley, Surrey 232
Brook-Atherfield, Isle of Wight 238
Yaverland, Sandown, Isle of Wight 254
Early Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) 257
Wicklesham Pit, Faringdon, Oxfordshire 258
East Wear Bay, Folkestone, Kent 260
Late Cretaceous (the Chalk) 264
Culand Pits, Burham, Kent 265
Stjames's Pit, Norwich, Norfolk 270
viii
Contents
9 British Caenozoic fossil reptile sites 271
Introduction: British Caenozoic stratigraphy and sedimentary setting 273
Reptile evolution during the Caenozoic 275
British Caenozoic reptile sites 276
Late Palaeocene and Eocene 276
Warden Point, Kent 278
Barton Cliff, Hampshire 282
Hordle Cliff, Hampshire 284
Headon Hill (Alum Bay-Totland), Isle of Wight 291
Oligocene 295
Bouldnor and Hamstead Cliffs, Isle of Wight 295
Pleistocene 298
References 301
Glossary 347
Fossil index 355
General index 365
ix
Acknowledgements
We thank Bill Wimbledon (Countryside Council for Wales, Bangor) for his constant
support throughout this project, and for his considerable editorial input. The whole
text was read through by Andrew and Angela Milner (London), and we thank them
for their input, as well as David Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne), Liz Cook (Bristol),
John Cope (Cardiff), Chris Duffin (Morden), Paul Ensom (York), Susan Evans
(London), Nick Fraser (Martinsville, Virginia), Malcolm Hart (plymouth), John
Hudson (Leicester), Allan Insole (Sandown, Isle of Wight), Ed Jarzembowski
(Brighton), Jim Kennedy (Oxford), David Martill (Leicester), Chris McGowan
(Toronto), Dick Moody (Kingston), Alec Panchen (Newcastle upon Tyne), Jon Radley
(Sandown, Isle of Wight), Jean-Claude Rage (paris), Glenn Storrs (Bristol), Mike Taylor
(Leicester), David Thompson (Keele), David Unwin (Bristol), David Ward
(Orpington) and Geoff Warrington (British Geological Survey, Keyworth), who read
portions of the work.
Thanks are also due to the GCR Publication Production Team: Neil Ellis,
Publications Manager; Nicholas D.W. Davey, Editorial Assistant (Scientific Officer)
and Valerie Wyld, Text Officer. Diagrams were drafted by Chris Pamplin (R & W
Publishing, Newmarket) and the photographs were developed by Simon Powell
(Bristol).
x
Access to the countryside
This volume is not intended for use as a field guide. The description or mention of
any site should not be taken as an indication that access to a site is open or that a right
of way exists. Most sites described are in private ownership, and their inclusion
herein is solely for the purpose of justifying their conservation. Their description or
appearance on a map in this work should in no way be construed as an invitation to
visit. Prior consent for visits should always be obtained from the landowner and/or
occupier.
Information on conservation matters, including site ownership, relating to Sites of
Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) or National Nature Reserves (NNRs) in particular
counties or districts may be obtained from the relevant country conservation agency
headquarters listed below:
English Nature,
Northminster House,
Peterborough PEl IDA.
Scottish Natural Heritage,
12 Hope Terrace,
Edinburgh EH9 2AS.
Countryside Council for Wales,
Plas Penrhos,
Ffordd Penrhos,
Bangor,
Gwynedd LL57 2LQ.
xi
Museum abbreviations
AUGD, Aberdeen University Geology Department.
AUZD, Aberdeen University Zoology Department.
BATGM, Bath Geology Museum.
BGS(GSE), British Geological Survey, Edinburgh.
BGS(GSM), British Geological Survey, Keyworth (old Geological Survey Museum
collection, London).
BMNH, Natural History Museum, London (formerly British Museum (Natural History),
London).
BRSMG, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.
BRSUG, Bristol University Geology Department.
BUCCM, Buckinghamshire County Museum, Aylesbury.
AMMZ, Cambridge University Museum of Zoology.
CAMSM, Sedgwick Museum, Department of Earth Sciences, Cambridge University.
DORCM, Dorset County Museum, Dorchester.
ELGNM, Elgin Museum.
EXEMS, Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter.
GLRCM, Gloucester City Museum and Art Gallery.
IWCMS, Isle of Wight Museum Geology, Sandown.
LEICS, Leicestershire Museums, Leicester.
LIVCM, National Museums on Merseyside, Liverpool.
MAIDM, Maidstone Museum.
MANCH, Manchester Museum.
MCZ, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
NEWHM, Hancock Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne.
NMS, National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh (formerly RSM).
NMW, National Museum of Wales, Cardiff.
NORCM, Norwich Castle Museum.
OUM, University Museum, Oxford.
OXFPM, Oxford Polytechnic Geology Department.
SHRBM, Shrewsbury Borough Museum.
SHRCM, Shropshire County Museum, Ludlow.
SDM, Stroud District Museum.
WARMS, Warwickshire Museum, Warwick.
WHIMS, Whitby Museum.
YORYM, Yorkshire Museum, York.
YPM, Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, Connecticut.
xii