Ebelsberg Formation
Formation
AgeAquitanian
PeriodAquitanian
PrilithologyClaystone, mudstone
NamedforEbelsberg
RegionUpper Austria
CountryAustria
CoordinatesN 48° 12′ 22″; E 14° 13′ 27″[1]
UnderliesHall Formation[2]
OverliesEferding Formation[2]

The Ebelsberg Formation is a geologic formation in Austria. The section exposed near the town of Pucking are considered to be a Konservat-Lagerstätte. It preserves fossils dated to the Aquitanian age of the Miocene epoch.

History of study

The marine deposits of the Ebelsberg Formation near Pucking were exposed in the 1980s[3] when a hydroelectric power plant was built across the river Traun close to Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. Initial studies considered the Ebelsberg Formation to be Oligocene in age, specifically dating it to the Chattian (Late Oligocene). However, more recent studies have shown this to be false, instead proposing a younger age corresponding with the Aquitanian stage of the Miocene. Locally, this would correspond to the Upper Egerian, making the outcrops about 22 million years old.[1]

Environment

During the Aquitanian this part of Austria was covered by the extensive Paratethys sea, with the Ebelsberg Formation specifically having been formed in the outer neritic zone.[4]

Fauna

Bivalves

NameSpeciesLocality/MemberMaterialNotesImage
Deletopecten[5]D. sp.PuckingA small pectinid bivalve.
Isognomonidae[5]PuckingA type of clam typically associated with driftwood.
Megaxinus[5]M. bellardianusPuckingA lucinid bivalve. They were found in association with the remains of Austromola.
Nucula[5]N. sp.PuckingA nuculid bivalve.
Perna[5]P. aquitanicaPuckingA species of mussle typically associated with driftwood.
Teredinidae[5]PuckingPieces of lignite at Pucking are often found often completely penetrated by shipworms.

Gastropods

NameSpeciesLocality/MemberMaterialNotesImage
Clio[5]C. sp.PuckingA pelagic pteropod snail known from mass accumulations. They are diel migrants that use mucous web to capture prey. Blooms of Clio may have been caused by nutrient increases from intensified upswellings or increased coastal runoff.
Euspira[5]E. helicinaPuckingA member of the Naticidae, Euspira helicina is among the predominant gastropods at Pucking.
Limacina[5]L. sp.PuckingA pelagic pteropod snail known from mass accumulations. They are diel migrants that use mucous web to capture prey. Blooms of Limacina may have been caused by nutrient increases from intensified upswellings or increased coastal runoff.
Turridae[5]PuckingA single species of turrid is among the predominant gastropods at Pucking.

Cephalopods

NameSpeciesLocality/MemberMaterialNotesImage
Aturia[5]Possibly a new speciesPuckingA nautiloid with a shall that is distinctly larger than that of Aturia aturi. Fossils are known from mass occurrences and always associated with brown algae. A deep water animal, its possible that remains of the Ebelsberg Aturia first drifted into coastal waters before being washed back out offshore where they were preserved.

Crustaceans

NameSpeciesLocality/MemberMaterialNotesImage
Lepadidae[5]Two undescribed speciesPuckingBarnacles that appear attached to driftwood.

Echinoderms

NameSpeciesLocality/MemberMaterialNotesImage
Linthia[5]L. summesbergeriPuckingA type of sea urchin, only a few specimen have been recovered from Pucking.
Spatangoida[5]PuckingA type of heart urchin, echinoderms are rare at Pucking.

Chondrichthyes

NameSpeciesLocality/MemberMaterialNotesImage
Alopias[6]A. exiguaPucking, WallernA thresher shark of the family Alopiidae.
Araloselachus[7]A. cuspidatusPuckingA sand shark of the family Odontaspididae.
Dracipinna[8]D. bracheriWallernTeethA squaliform shark of the family Dalatiidae, the kitefin sharks. It was previously known as Bracheria wallerniensis.
Carcharias[9][10]C. acutissimusPuckingA species of sand tiger shark.
Galeocerdo[9]G. aduncusPuckingA species of tigershark.
Heptranchias[5]H. sp.PuckingA hexanchiform shark of the family Hexanchidae. Modern members of this genus are benthic animals that live close to the shelf edge at depths of around 400–1000 m.
Etmopterus[8]Wallern, Pucking, Finklham/GrabenA squaliform shark of the family Etmopteridae, the lantern sharks.
Iago[11]I. sp.WallernA species of hound shark.
Echinorhinus[5][9]E. pollerspoeckiPuckingA echinorhiniform shark of the family Echinorhinidae, the bramble sharks. It would have inhabited the deep watter bottom shelf.
Keasius[12]K. sp.TraunpuckingAn extinct relative of the basking shark.
Palaeocentroscymnus[8][9]P. horvathiWallern, Pucking, Finklham/GrabenTeethA squaliform shark of the family Somniosidae, the sleeper sharks.

Actinopterygii

NameSpeciesLocality/MemberMaterialNotesImage
Aglyptorhynchus[2]A. sp.PuckingAn extinct genus of billfish.
Argyropelecus[5]A. sp.PuckingA species of hatchetfish, a bathypelagic animal.
Austromola[4]A. angerhoferiPuckingThree specimen and skeleton parts, one of which was destroyed during excavation.A large member of the Sunfish family, measuring up to 4 meters from fin tip to fin tip.
Caproidae[5]PuckingBoarfish are distinctly less frequent than mackerel, herring and hakes.
Carangidae[5]PuckingJack fish are distinctly less frequent than mackerel, herring and hakes.
Clupeidae[5]PuckingHerring are amongst the most common fish at Pucking. Modern members of the family are schooling animals of the pelagic zone.
Istiophoridae[2]PuckingThree specimen including a set of caudal vertebrae.The oldest known record of the family from the Northern Alpine Foreland Basin and one of the earliest records of the group in general after their appearance in the Chandler Bridge Formation.
Merlucciidae[5]PuckingModern hake are benthic animals that occur between a few tens to a few hundreds of meters and migrate up the water column at night to feed. This fits with the offshore environment inferred for the Pucking Lagerstätte. They are common at Pucking.
Myctophidae[5]PuckingLanternfish are regarded as index taxa for deep waters and live a bathypelagic lifestyle, migrating up the water column at night.
Serranidae[5]PuckingComber are distinctly less frequent than mackerel, herring and hakes.
Scombridae[5]PuckingMackerels are open water filter feeders. They are common at Pucking.
Syngnathidae[5]PuckingPipefish are known from mass occurrences at Pucking, but likely did not originate in the offshore environment. Modern pipefish prefer bays and lagoons, thus it is possible that they were washed out to sea after their deaths.
Xiphiidae[2]PuckingOne undescribed specimen.An underscribed swordfish.

Birds

NameSpeciesLocality/MemberMaterialNotesImage
Petralca[1]P. austriacaPuckingA partial skeletonOriginally thought to be a species of auk, later studies have shown it to be an early species of loon.

Mammals

NameSpeciesLocality/MemberMaterialNotesImage
undescribed dolphin[5]PuckingA well preserved skeleton preserving the skull, forelimbs, ribcage and much of the vertebral column.
Romaleodelphis[3]R. pollerspoeckiPuckingAn incomplete skull missing the tip of the rostrum and most of the basicranium. Ribs and vertebrae have also been reported, but were split among collectors with their current whereabouts unknown.A basal odontocete and member of the "Chilcacetus-Clade", making it basal to true dolphins and beaked whales.

See also

References

  1. ^ Ursula B. Göhlich & Gerald Mayr (2018). "The alleged early Miocene Auk Petralca austriaca is a Loon (Aves, Gaviiformes): restudy of a controversial fossil bird". Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology. 30 (8): 1076–1083. Bibcode:2018HBio...30.1076G. doi:10.1080/08912963.2017.1333610. S2CID 90729728
  2. ^ De Gracia, C.; Berning, B.; Kriwet, J. (2023). "The origin of modern marlins (Teleostei: Istiophoridae): new fossil evidence from the Lower Miocene of Austria". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 43 (2). doi:10.1080/02724634.2023.2281490
  3. ^ Sanchez-Posada, C.; Racicot, R. A.; Ruf, I.; Krings, M.; Rössner, G. E. (2024). "Romaleodelphis pollerspoecki, gen. et sp. nov., an archaic dolphin from the Central Paratethys (Early Miocene, Austria)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. doi:10.1080/02724634.2024.2401503
  4. ^ Gregorova, Ruzena; Schultz, Ortwin; Harzhauser, Mathias; Kroh, Andreas; Ćorić, Stjepan (12 June 2009). "A giant early Miocene sunfish from the North Alpine Foreland Basin (Austria) and its implication for molid phylogeny". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 29 (2): 359–371. Bibcode:2009JVPal..29..359G. doi:10.1671/039.029.0201. S2CID 54774567
  5. ^ Grunert, P.; Harzhauser, M.; Rögl, F.; Sachsenhofer, R.; Gratzer, R.; Soliman, A.; Piller, W.E. (2010). "Oceanographic conditions as a trigger for the formation of an Early Miocene (Aquitanian) Konservat-Lagerstätte in the Central Paratethys Sea.". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 292 (3-4): 425–442. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.04.001
  6. ^ Feichtinger, I.; Bracher, H.; Unger, E.; Lüdi, E.; Pollersböck, J. (2019–2023). "Alopias exigua". Haie und Rochen der Molasse: Arten, Bestimmung, Verbreitung. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  7. ^ Feichtinger, I.; Bracher, H.; Unger, E.; Lüdi, E.; Pollersböck, J. (2019–2023). "Araloselachus cuspidatus". Haie und Rochen der Molasse: Arten, Bestimmung, Verbreitung. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  8. ^ Pollerspöck, J. & Straube, N. (2021). "Phylogenetic placement and description of an extinct genus and species of kitefin shark based on tooth fossils (Squaliformes: Dalatiidae).". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 19 (15): 1083–1096. doi:10.1080/14772019.2021.2012537
  9. ^ Pollerspöck, J.; Flammensbeck, C.K.; Straube, N. (2018). "Palaeocentroscymnus (Chondrichthyes: Somniosidae), a new sleeper shark genus from Miocene deposits of Austria (Europe).". PalZ. 92: 443–456. doi:10.1007/s12542-017-0398-9
  10. ^ Feichtinger, I.; Bracher, H.; Unger, E.; Lüdi, E.; Pollersböck, J. (2019–2023). "Carcharias acutissimus". Haie und Rochen der Molasse: Arten, Bestimmung, Verbreitung. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  11. ^ Feichtinger, I.; Bracher, H.; Unger, E.; Lüdi, E.; Pollersböck, J. (2019–2023). "Iago sp.". Haie und Rochen der Molasse: Arten, Bestimmung, Verbreitung. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  12. ^ Feichtinger, I.; Bracher, H.; Unger, E.; Lüdi, E.; Pollersböck, J. (2019–2023). "Keasius sp.". Haie und Rochen der Molasse: Arten, Bestimmung, Verbreitung. Retrieved 29 October 2024.