Sunnydown Farm Quarry (clay: upper horizon; equivalent to DB 102/103 ): Early/Lower Berriasian - Middle Berriasian, United Kingdom

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Chondrichthyes - Hybodontiformes - Hybodontidae
aff. Hybodus sp. Agassiz 1834
Amphibia - Temnospondyli
Anura indet. (Fischer von Waldheim 1813)
Ensom 1988
"indeterminate frog"
    = Discoglossidae indet. Günther 1859
Ensom et al. 1991
    = Sunnybatrachus purbeckensis Evans and McGowan 2002
Evans and McGowan 2002
Batrachosauroididae indet. Auffenberg 1958
Ensom 1988
    = Apricosiren ensomi n. gen., n. sp. Evans and McGowan 2002
Evans and McGowan 2002
Amphibia - Temnospondyli - Batrachosauroididae
Urodela indet. (Duméril 1805)
Ensom 1988
"undetermined salamander"
    = Batrachosauroididae indet. Auffenberg 1958
Evans and McGowan 2002
Amphibia - Temnospondyli - Albanerpetontidae
Albanerpeton sp. Estes and Hoffstetter 1976
Ensom et al. 1991 6 specimens
DORCM GS26, 30, 32, 33, 35, 37
    = Celtedens cf. megacephalus Costa 1864
McGowan and Ensom 1997
    = Celtedens megacephalus Costa 1864
McGowan 1998
Morganucodonta
Purbeckodon batei Butler et al. 2012
Butler et al. 2012 2 specimens
DORCM GS 743, broken upper molar; DORCM GS 746, ?last upper molar
Mammalia - Multituberculata
Plagiaulacoidea indet. Ameghino 1889
Kielan-Jaworowska and Ensom 1994 2 specimens
corrected as Plagiaulacida
DORCM GS 22 and 25 (both partial left p4)
Mammalia - Multituberculata - Plagiaulacidae
informal Plagiaulacidae sp. Gill 1872
Bolodon sp. Owen 1871
Bolodon osborni Simpson 1928
Kielan-Jaworowska and Ensom 1992
Mammalia - Multituberculata - Albionbaataridae
Albionbaatar denisae n. gen., n. sp. Kielan-Jaworowska and Ensom 1994
Kielan-Jaworowska and Ensom 1994 5 specimens
DORCM GS 212 (sample 40, holotype right P5 in a fragment of maxilla); DORCM GS 227 (sample 77), right P5; GS 24 (sample 70), ?right ?P3; 282 (sample 78), ?left ?P2; 23 (sample 95), ?left ?P1
Mammalia - Multituberculata - Pinheirodontidae
Gerhardodon purbeckensis n. gen., n. sp. Kielan-Jaworowska and Ensom 1992
Kielan-Jaworowska and Ensom 1992
Mammalia - Multituberculata - Paulchoffatiidae
Sunnyodon notleyi n. gen., n. sp. Kielan-Jaworowska and Ensom 1992
Kielan-Jaworowska and Ensom 1992
Mammalia - Tinodontidae
Tinodon micron n. sp. Ensom and Sigogneau-Russell 2000
Ensom and Sigogneau-Russell 2000 6 specimens
DORCM GS 1110 (holotype lower left molar), 437, 538, 1081 (partial left molars), 1078 (partial right molar), 694 (upper right molar)
Mammalia - Spalacotheriidae
? Spalacotherium sp. Owen 1854
    = Spalacotherium sp. Owen 1854
Ensom 1988
cf. Tinodon
Spalacotherium evansae n. sp. Ensom and Sigogneau-Russell 2000
Ensom and Sigogneau-Russell 2000 38 specimens
DORCM GS 350, 355, sample 28; 488, 490, sample 30; 769, sample 35; 373, sample 40; 370, 371, 842, 843, sample 58; 380, sample 59; 360, 853, sample 61; 383, sample 62; 389, 390, sample 63; 909, sample 71; 914, sample 73; 437, sample 76; 918, sample 75; 721, sample 78; 928, sample 79; 534, 538, sample 88; 961, sample 95; 669, sample 103; 673, 674, sample 104; 684, sample 106; 694, sample 107; 357, sample 109; 435, sample 112; 1043, sample 114; 1075, 1076, 1078, 1081, sample 116; 1110, sample 119.
Mammalia
Chunnelodon alopekodes n. gen., n. sp. Ensom and Sigogneau-Russell 1998
Ensom and Sigogneau-Russell 1998 2 specimens
DORCM GS 378 (holotype left lower molar), 377 (right lower molar)
Magnimus ensomi n. gen., n. sp. Sigogneau-Russell 1999
Sigogneau-Russell 1999 3 specimens
DORCM GS 627 (type upper molar), 332 (lower right molar), 621 (lower left molar)
Mammalia - Paurodontidae
Dorsetodon haysomi n. gen., n. sp. Ensom and Sigogneau-Russell 1998
Ensom and Sigogneau-Russell 1998 7 specimens
DORCM GS 433 (holotype right lower molar), 376 (right lower molar), 502 (right lower molar), 438 (left lower molar), 501 (left lower molar), 625 (left lower molar),747 (right lower molar)
Mammalia - Dryolestidae
? Peraspalax sp. Owen 1871
Ensom 1988
Amblotherium sp. Owen 1871
Phascolestes sp. Owen 1871
Ensom 1988
Mammalia - Eutriconodonta - Triconodontidae
Trioracodon sp. Simpson 1928
Butler et al. 2012 1 specimen
DORCM GS 610, a right upper molar; DORCM GS 400, mesial part (cusp b) of a left lower molar; DORCM GS 958, mesial end of a lower molar
Triconodon sp. Owen 1859
Butler et al. 2012 4 specimens
DORCM GS 639, right upper molar; DORCM GS 1046, mesial part of a right upper molariform; DORCM GS 901, could be the mesial two-thirds of an upper triconodontid premolar, but with weak cingula; DORCM GS 618, a right ?lower molariform
Docodonta - Docodontidae
Peraiocynodon sp. Simpson 1928
Ensom 1988
?=Docodon sp.
Reptilia
Tretosternon sp. Owen 1842
Ensom 1988
Reptilia - Pleurosternidae
? Pleurosternon sp. Owen 1853
Pleurosternum sic.
Reptilia - Squamata
Squamata informal indet. 1 Oppel 1811
Evans and Searle 2002
Squamata informal indet. 2 Oppel 1811
Evans and Searle 2002
Squamata informal indet. 3 Oppel 1811
Evans and Searle 2002
Reptilia - Paramacellodidae
Becklesius sp. Estes 1983
Ensom 1988
Lacertilia indet. Owen 1842
    = Paramacellodus sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Ensom 1988
Reptilia
Durotrigia sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Ensom 1988
Pseudosaurillus sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Ensom et al. 1991
Reptilia - Dorsetisauridae
Dorsetisaurus sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Ensom et al. 1991
Reptilia
Parasaurillus pseudobtusus Evans and Searle 2002
Evans and Searle 2002
Bernissartia sp. Dollo 1883
Ensom 1988
    = cf. Bernissartia sp. Dollo 1883
Salisbury 2002
Isolated teeth
Reptilia - Goniopholididae
? Nannosuchus sp. Owen 1879
    = Nannosuchus sp. Owen 1879
Ensom 1988
juvenile Goniopholis?
Goniopholis sp. Owen 1842
Reptilia
Theriosuchus sp. Owen 1878
Reptilia - Heterodontosauridae
Echinodon becklesii Owen 1861
Ensom 1988
Reptilia - Dromaeosauridae
cf. Nuthetes destructor Owen 1854
Reptilia
Rhamphorhynchidae indet. Seeley 1870
Ensom et al. 1991 1 specimen
tooth
    = Pterosauria indet. Kaup 1834
Howse and Milner 1995
May belong to Ctenochasmatidae
Reptilia - Homoeosauridae
Sphenodonta indet.
Ensom 1988
    = Homoeosaurus sp. Meyer 1850
Ensom et al. 1991
Pisces
Pisces indet. Linnaeus 1758
synonym of Osteichthyes
see common names

Geography
Country:United Kingdom State/province:England County:Dorset
Coordinates: 50.6° North, 2.0° West (view map)
Paleocoordinates:41.5° North, 7.9° East
Basis of coordinate:based on nearby landmark
Altitude:0 meters
Geographic resolution:small collection
Time
Period:Cretaceous Epoch:Early/Lower Cretaceous
Stage:Berriasian 10 m.y. bin:Cretaceous 1
*Period:Late/Upper Jurassic *Epoch:Malm
*International age/stage:Tithonian
Key time interval:Early/Lower Berriasian - Middle Berriasian
Age range of interval:145.00000 - 140.20000 m.y. ago
* legacy (obsolete) database fields
Stratigraphy
Geological group:Purbeck Formation:Lulworth Member:Worbarrow Tout
Local section:Durlston Local bed:DB 102/103
Local order:bottom to top
Stratigraphic resolution:bed
Stratigraphy comments: Uppermost Lulworth Beds of Casey 1963, lying just below the Cinder Member, the base of which currently marks the Jr/K boundary in Southern England. Section originally published by Ensom 1985. Correlated with horizon DB102 in Durlston Bay.
Ensom & Sigogneau-Russell (1998, p. 35): The upper horizon lies at the junction of a clay, locally termed the 'Sly', which immediately underlies the 'Cap' bed, 2.6 m below the base of the Cinder Member. This clay-limestone interface can be equated confidently with beds DB 102/103 in Durlston Bay (CLements 1993).
Cherty Freshwater Mbr now = top of Worbarrow Tout Mbr.
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology: cherty/siliceous "limestone"
Secondary lithology: argillaceous,calcareous claystone
Includes fossils?Y
Lithology description: A sequence of thin limestones, micrites, argillaceous micrites, calcareous shales and clays. The limestones often contain nodules of chert.
Environment:lacustrine - small
Geology comments: Conditions of deposition generally brackish or freshwater, though there are occasional appearances of almost normal marine fauna. Clays may represent mud flats bordering a freshwater lake.

Ensom & Sigogneau-Russell (1998, p. 35): The sedimentology and environmental setting of the upper horizon has been described by West (1988). Both horizons are thought to represent clays bordering shallow freshwater lakes
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:body
Degree of concentration:concentrated
Size of fossils:macrofossils,mesofossils
Disassociated major elements:some
Disassociated minor elements:many
Collection methods and comments
Collection excludes:some genera
Collection methods:bulk,selective quarrying,sieve,field collection
Minimum sieve size:3.000 Maximum sieve size:33.000
Collection size:26 specimens
Rock censused:5 cm (line intercept)
Reason for describing collection:taxonomic analysis
Collection method comments: 3 tons of clay dug from the floor of the quarry, normally the top 2-4cm were collected.
Taxonomic list comments:mostly teeth of vertebrates
Metadata
Also known as:Langton Matravers
Database number:28401
Authorizer:J. Alroy, M. Carrano, R. Butler, P. Mannion, R. Benson Enterer:E. Leckey, J. Alroy, M. Carrano, R. Benson, R. Butler, P. Mannion
Modifier:G. Varnham Research group:vertebrate
Created:2003-02-12 09:21:19 Last modified:2022-02-04 03:15:37
Access level:the public Released:2003-02-12 09:21:19
Creative Commons license:CC BY
Reference information

Primary reference:

8336. P. C. Ensom. 1987. A remarkable new vertebrate site in the Purbeck Limestone Formation on the Isle of Purbeck. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 108:205-206 [J. Alroy/E. Leckey/E. Leckey]

Secondary references:

39707 P. M. Butler, D. Sigogneau-Russell, and P. C. Ensom. 2012. Possible persistence of the morganucodontans in the Lower Cretaceous Purbeck Limestone Group (Dorset, England). Cretaceous Research 33:135-145 [R. Benson/R. Benson]
39148 P. Ensom and D. Sigogneau-Russell. 2000. New symmetrodonts (Mammalia, Theria) from the Purbeck Limestone Group, Lower Cretaceous, southern England. Cretaceous Research 21:767-779 [R. Benson/R. Benson]
8338 P. C. Ensom. 1988. Excavations at Sunnydown Farm, Langton Matravers, Dorset: amphibians discovered in the Purbeck Limestone Formation. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 109:148-150 [J. Alroy/E. Leckey/M. Carrano]
31246ETE P. C. Ensom. 1989. Sunnydown Farm sauropod footprint site. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 110:167-168 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
19441ETE P. C. Ensom, S. E. Evans, and A. R. Milner. 1991. Amphibians and reptiles from the Purbeck Limestone Formation (Upper Jurassic) of Dorset. In Z. Kielan-Jaworowska, N. Heintz, & H. A. Nakrem (eds.), Fifth Symposium on Mesozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biota, Extended Abstracts. Contributions from the Paleontological Museum, Unviersity of Oslo 364:19-20 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
31269ETE P. C. Ensom, S. E. Evans, J. E. Francis, Z. Kielan-Jaworowska, and A. R. Milner. 1994. The fauna and flora of the Sunnydown Farm footprint site and associated sites: Purbeck Limestone Formation, Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 115:181-182 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
39154 P. C. Ensom and D. Sigogneau-Russell. 1998. New dryolestoid mammals from the basal Cretaceous Purbeck Limestone Group of southern England. Palaeontology 41:35-55 [R. Benson/R. Benson]
30987 S. E. Evans and G. J. McGowan. 2002. An amphibian assemblage from the Purbeck Limestone Group. Special Papers in Palaeontology 68:103-119 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy]
34139ETE S. E. Evans and B. Searle. 2002. Lepidosaurian reptiles from the Purbeck Limestone Group of Dorset, southern England. In A. R. Milner, D. J. Batten (eds.), Life and Environments in Purbeck Times. Special Papers in Palaeontology 68:145-149 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
31375 S. C. B. Howse and A. R. Milner. 1995. The pterodactyloids from the Purbeck Limestone Formation of Dorset. Bulletin of the Natural History Musuem, London (Geology) 51(1):73-88 [R. Butler/R. Butler]
77075% 16620Z. Kielan-Jaworowska and P. C. Ensom. 1992. Multituberculate mammals from the Upper Jurassic Purbeck Limestone Formation of southern England. Palaeontology 35(1):95-126 [J. Alroy/E. Leckey/E. Leckey]
38908 Z. Kielan-Jaworowska and P. C. Ensom. 1994. Tiny plagiaulacoid mammals from the Purbeck Limestone Formation of Dorset, England. Palaeontology 37(1):17-31 [R. Benson/R. Benson]
47097 G. J. McGowan. 1998. The development and function of the atlanto-axial joint in albanerpetontid amphibians. Journal of Herpetology 32(1):116-122 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
31237ETE G. J. McGowan and P. C. Ensom. 1997. Albanerpetontid amphibians from the Lower Cretaceous of the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 118:113-117 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
39486 S. W. Salisbury. 2002. Crocodilians from the Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian) Purbeck Limestone Group of Dorset, southern England. Special Papers in Palaeontology 68:121-144 [P. Mannion/P. Mannion]
39266 D. Sigogneau-Russell. 1999. Reevaluation des Peramura (Mammalia, Cladotheria) sur la base de nouveaux specimens de Cretace inferieur d'Angleterre et du Maroc. Geodiversitas 21(1):93-127 [R. Benson/R. Benson/R. Benson]