The Strawberry Bank Lagerstà¤tte reveals insights into Early Jurassic life
Resource type
Journal article
Creator (person)
Williams, Matt
Benton, M J
Ross, Andrew
Date published
July 15, 2015
Abstract
The Strawberry Bank Lagerstà¤tte provides a rich insight into Early Jurassic marine vertebrate life, revealing exquisite anatomical detail of marine reptiles and large pachycormid fishes thanks to exceptional preservation, and especially the uncrushed, 3D nature of the fossils. The site documents a fauna of Early Jurassic nektonic marine animals (five species of fishes, one species of marine crocodilian, two species of ichthyosaurs, cephalopods and crustaceans), but also over 20 species of insects. Unlike other fossil sites of similar age, the 3D preservation at Strawberry Bank provides unique evidence on palatal and braincase structures in the fishes and reptiles. The age of the site is important, documenting a marine ecosystem during recovery from the end-Triassic mass extinction, but also exactly coincident with the height of the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event, a further time of turmoil in evolution.
Journal title
Journal of the Geological Society
Publisher
Geological Society of London
ISSN
2041-479X
Official URL
Additional information
Published Online First