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Fossil Reptiles of Great Britain PDF

382 Pages·1995·19.197 MB·English
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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 Apan from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the UK Copyright Designs and Patents Act, 1988, this publication may not be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction only in accordance with the terms of the licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK, or in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the appropriate Reproduction Rights Organization outside the UK. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the terms stated here should be sent to the publishers at the London address printed on this page. The publisher makes no representation, express or implied, with regard to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and cannot accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may be made. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 94-69920 G Printed on acid-free text paper, manufactured in accordance with ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (Permanence 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

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