Preservation of Dinosaur Footprints in Shallow Intertidal Deposits of the Jurassic-Cretaceous Transition in the Iberian Range (Teruel, Spain)

Alcalá, Luís; Pérez‐Lorente, Félix; Luque, Luis; Cobos, Alberto; Royo–Torres, Rafael; Mampel, Luis

doi:10.1080/10420940.2013.873721

Cited by 23 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…These levels have a characteristic fenestral porosity and are interbedded between red lutitic intervals and sandstones. Although this unit rich in dinosaur footprints has been attributed to the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (e.g., Alcalá et al, 2014), it actually fits well in its key lithological features and stratigraphic position to the Aguilar del Alfambra Formation defined in this work in the Galve sub-basin. The thickness of the Aguilar del Alfambra Formation exposed east of El Castellar village has been estimated to range around 400 m.…”

Section: Northwestern Penyagolosa Sub-basin: a Reviewsupporting

confidence: 67%

“…The ichnites traditionally ascribed to the upper part of the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (e.g., Alcalá et al, 2012Alcalá et al, , 2014Mampel et al, 2010Mampel et al, -2011 are now placed in the newly defined Aguilar del Alfambra Formation. In fact, the carbonate beds found at different levels of this unit are particularly rich in dinosaur footprints.…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to the Galve sub-basin, the Tithonian-Berriasian dinosaur fossil record from the northwestern part of the neighbouring Penyagolosa sub-basin is also remarkable. These fossil sites were traditionally placed within the upper part of the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Cobos et al, 2010Alcalá et al, 2014), equivalent to the newly defined Aguilar del Alfambra Formation (see supplementary information). Within the municipalities of El Castellar and Formiche Alto in this sector, several bonebeds (including skeletal remains of stegosaurids and megalosaurids) and tracksites have been identified.…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Stratigraphy and evolution of the Galve sub-basin (Spain) in the middle Tithonian–early Barremian: Implications for the setting and age of some dinosaur fossil sites

Aurell

Bádenas

Gasca

et al. 2016

Cretaceous Research

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A review of the stratigraphy of the Galve sub-basin (western Maestrazgo Basin, eastern Spain) around the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition is presented here, based on new data acquired after extensive geological mapping and logging complemented with facies analysis, new biostratigraphic data and a revision of the published information available. The results obtained are relevant for a more detailed understanding of the tecto-sedimentary evolution of the studied basin during the transition between two stages of rift evolution (i.e., syn-rift sequences 1 and 2). In addition, new information on the age and setting of numerous dinosaur fossil-and track-sites found across the Galve sub-basin and in the northern part of the nearby Penyagolosa sub-basin is provided here. Two new lithostratigraphic units are defined and characterized, the Aguilar del Alfambra and the Galve formations. The previous stratigraphic framework considered only two lithostratigraphic units (the Villar del Arzobispo and El Castellar formations) bounded by a single regional unconformity, and this resulted in significant misinterpretations. The whitish limestones, red lutites and cross-bedded sandstones of the Aguilar del Alfambra Formation were deposited in transitional environments, ranging from coastal lutitic plains to restricted lagoons. Of particular interest are the laminated micritic-peloidal limestones with abundant fenestral porosity (supratidal ponds to intertidal flats), which preserve common dinosaur footprints. This unit is bounded by widespread unconformities and is of very variable thickness (0-450 m), controlled by extensional tectonics operating at the climax of syn-rift sequence 1 during the latest Tithonian-middle Berriasian. The overlying Galve Formation is of variable thickness (from 0-100 m) and is also bounded by regional unconformities described in detail here. It consists of red lutites with cross-bedded and tabular-burrowed sandstones representing channel and overflow deposits in an alluvial floodplain. The sauropod dinosaur Aragosaurus ischiaticus found in this unit has a controversial age assignment. The age of the Galve Formation is poorly constrained from late Berriasian to Hauterivian, but new biostratigraphic data presented here, combined with the correlation with the nearby Penyagolosa and Salzedella sub-basins, suggest a possible equivalence to the upper Berriasian-lower Valanginian sequence deposited during the initial stage of syn-rift sequence 2. Highlights:• A revised stratigraphic framework for the Galve sub-basin of eastern Spain • Characterization of the newly defined Aguilar del Alfambra and Galve formations • The setting of the Tithonian-Hauterivian dinosaur fossil-and track sites revisited • Implications for the tecto-sedimentary evolution of the western Maestrazgo Basin

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Section: Northwestern Penyagolosa Sub-basin: a Reviewsupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Stratigraphy and evolution of the Galve sub-basin (Spain) in the middle Tithonian–early Barremian: Implications for the setting and age of some dinosaur fossil sites

Aurell

Bádenas

Gasca

et al. 2016

Cretaceous Research

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“…In this work and, in accordance with many authors (e.g. Hernández et al 1985;Aurell 1990;Aurell et al 1994;Aurell and Meléndez 1993;Bádenas et al 2004;Alcalá et al 2009Alcalá et al , 2014aAlcalá et al , 2014bBádenas and Aurell 2010;Cobos et al 2010Cobos et al , 2014Mampel et al 2010Mampel et al -2011Royo-Torres et al 2014;Campos-Soto et al 2017a;Santos et al 2018;Delvene et al 2019), it is interpreted that deposits of the DSR should be included in the Villar del Arzobispo Fm; in fact, the parastratotype of this formation was defined in the Cedrillas area (Figs. 2, 3a) by Mas et al (2004).…”

Section: The Lithostratigraphic Framework Of the Dsr In The Western Msupporting

confidence: 88%

Revisiting the age and palaeoenvironments of the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous? dinosaur-bearing sedimentary record of eastern Spain: implications for Iberian palaeogeography

Campos-Soto

Benito

Cobos³

et al. 2019

J Iber Geol

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An integrated stratigraphic, palaeontological, palaeoenvironmental and palaeogeographical study of the traditionally considered Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous dinosaur-bearing sedimentary record (DSR) of eastern Spain is accomplished for the first time. Several areas where dinosaur fossils are abundant (western Maestrazgo and South-Iberian basins) have been studied in detail. In all the areas, the DSR comprises a carbonate-dominated lower part (CLP), and an essentially siliciclastic upper part (SUP). Deposition occurred in a shallow-very shallow marine carbonate platform, laterally connected towards the N and W to coastal and alluvial environments. The overall upwards evolution is regressive with a transgresive episode at the uppermost part. The DSR includes deposits previously assigned, depending on the studied area, from the Kimmeridgian to the Barremian (locally even to the Aptian-Albian). However, ages obtained in this work from larger benthic foraminifera (LBF), demonstrate a Kimmeridgian-Tithonian age (locally Kimmeridgian-Early Berriasian?) for the DSR. These findings have important implications regarding the age of dinosaur fossils of these deposits, traditionally assigned to the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition, or even to the Early Cretaceous, erroneously, and have necessitated a deep litho-and chronostratigraphic revision of the units previously established in the studied areas: new data indicate that the DSR is correlatable with deposits of the Villar del Arzobispo Fm and that the usage of the Aldea de Cortés and El Collado Fms, traditionally assigned to the Early Cretaceous, should be avoided. New data also reveal that the DSR should be correlated with other Kimmeridgian-Tithonian dinosaur-bearing deposits of Iberia, such as those of the Cameros Basin, Asturias and Portugal, and have encouraged a revision of the Iberian palaeogeography at that time. In fact, ages obtained from LBF agree with data provided by the systematics of dinosaurs, since dinosaur faunas of eastern Spain are similar to those of the other Late Jurassic Iberian areas, especially to those of the Lusitanian Basin. Keywords Kimmeridgian-Tithonian • Larger benthic foraminifera • Shallow marine • Coastal wetland system • Verterbrates Resumen En este trabajo se realiza por primera vez un estudio multidisciplinar (estratigráfico, paleontológico, paleoambiental y paleogeográfico) del registro sedimentario del este de España que contiene abundantes fósiles de dinosaurio (DSR) y que tradicionalmente se ha asignado al Jurásico Superior-Cretácico Inferior. En concreto se han estudiado en detalle varias áreas de la Cuenca Suribérica y del oeste de la Cuenca del Maestrazgo en las que los fósiles de dinosaurio son más abundantes. En todas las áreas que se han estudiado, el DSR está formado por una parte inferior (CLP), esencialmente carbonática, y por una parte superior (SUP), esencialmente siliciclástica, que se depositaron en una plataforma carbonática somera o muy Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (

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“…The unit includes a wide variety of lithologies, mainly whitish limestones, red mudstones and sandstones, which represent deposition in transitional environments ranging from muddy coastal plains to lagoons (Aurell et al ., ). Of particular interest are the laminated limestones with abundant fenestral porosity and the peloid‐rich limestones that commonly preserve dinosaur tracks (Alcalá et al ., ; Aurell et al ., ).…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 98%

Facies model of a mixed clastic–carbonate, wave‐dominated open‐coast tidal flat (Tithonian–Berriasian, north‐east Spain)

2018

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Detailed logging and analysis of the facies architecture of the upper Tithonian to middle Berriasian Aguilar del Alfambra Formation (Galve sub-basin, north-east Spain) have made it possible to characterize a wide variety of clastic, mixed clastic-carbonate and carbonate facies, which were deposited in coastal mudflats to shallow subtidal areas of an open-coast tidal flat. The sedimentary model proposed improves what is known about mixed coastal systems, both concerning facies and sedimentary processes. This sedimentary system was located in an embayed, non-protected area of a wide C-shaped coast that was seasonally dominated by wave storms. Clastic and mixed clastic-carbonate muds accumulated in poorly drained to well-drained, marine-influenced coastal mudflat areas, with local fluvial sandstones (tide-influenced fluvial channels and sheet-flood deposits) and conglomerate tsunami deposits. Carbonate-dominated tidal flat areas were the loci of deposition of fenestral-laminated carbonate muds and grainy (peloidal) sediments with hummocky cross-stratification. Laterally, the tidal flat was clastic-dominated and characterized by heterolithic sediments with hummocky cross-stratification and local tidal sandy bars. Peloidal and heterolithic sediments with hummocky cross-stratification are the key facies for interpreting the wave (storm) dominance in the tidal flat. Subsidence and high rates of sedimentation controlled the rapid burial of the storm features and thus preserved them from reworking by fair-weather waves and tides.

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Preservation of Dinosaur Footprints in Shallow Intertidal Deposits of the Jurassic-Cretaceous Transition in the Iberian Range (Teruel, Spain)

Cited by 23 publications

References 30 publications

Stratigraphy and evolution of the Galve sub-basin (Spain) in the middle Tithonian–early Barremian: Implications for the setting and age of some dinosaur fossil sites

Stratigraphy and evolution of the Galve sub-basin (Spain) in the middle Tithonian–early Barremian: Implications for the setting and age of some dinosaur fossil sites

Revisiting the age and palaeoenvironments of the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous? dinosaur-bearing sedimentary record of eastern Spain: implications for Iberian palaeogeography

Facies model of a mixed clastic–carbonate, wave‐dominated open‐coast tidal flat (Tithonian–Berriasian, north‐east Spain)

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