Villar del Arzobispo Formation explained
The Villar del Arzobispo Formation is a Late Jurassic to possibly Early Cretaceous geologic formation in eastern Spain. It is equivalent in age to the Lourinhã Formation of Portugal. It was originally thought to date from the Late Tithonian-Middle Berriasian, but more recent work suggests a Kimmeridigan-Late Tithonian, possibly dating to the Early Berriasian in some areas. The Villar del Arzobispo Formation's age in the area of Riodeva in Spain has been dated based on stratigraphic correlations as middle-upper Tithonian, approximately 145-141 million years old. In the area of Galve, the formation potentially dates into the earliest Cretaceous.[1]
Most of the unit consists of siliciclastic mudstone, however the lower portion of the formation is dominated by bioclastic, oolitic and peloidal limestone, while channelized sandstone and conglomerate is found in the middle portion of the unit. While the lower part of the formation was deposited in an inner carbonate platform, the upward gradation into mudstone in the middle and upper portions of the formation represents a change in depositional environment to paralic and alluvial plain conditions.[2]
Dinosaur remains are found throughout the unit, but are more abundant and better preserved in the terrestrially deposited middle-upper sections. Remains of the stegosaurid Dacentrurus were recovered in the Barranco Conejero locality in this formation.[3] Over the years, other stegosaurian remains have been discovered in this formation, but none have yet been referred to a specific genus.[4] Turiasaurs and brachiosaurids are also known from the formation. The formation is also well known for its fossil footprints, representing many different taxa.
Fossil content
Dinosaurs of the Villar del Arzobispo FormationTaxon | Species | Localities | Material | Notes | Images |
---|
Allosauridae[5] | Indeterminate | Barrihonda-El Humero | 5 teeth | Typical allosaurid teeth. | |
Aragosaurus[6] | A. ischiaticus | Las Zabacheras | partial postcranial skeleton | A basal macronarian previously thought to come from the El Castellar Formation. |
aff. Camptosaurus[7] | C. sp. | Fuentecillas | fragmentary remains: an anterior cervical centrum; an anterior dorsal centrum; a dorsosacral centrum; four sacral centra; a caudosacral centrum; two anterior caudal centra; three medial caudal centra; and a distal fragment from the left humerus | An ornithopod. The Fuentecillas specimen is seen to be closer to Camptosaurus than to Draconyx, hence its tentative placement within the Camptosaurus genus. |
Dacentrurus armatus[8] | D. armatus | - Barrihonda–El Humero
- San Cristóbal
- Cerrito del Olmo
| several different elements | Subjective senior synonym of Miragaia. |
Dacentrurinae[9] | Indeterminate | - Barranco del Curro
- El Balsón
| two partial skeletons | Cannot be compared with Miragaia. |
Deltapodus[10] | D. ibericus | El Castellar | trackway on tidal limestone | Belongs to a large stegosaur, possibly related to Dacentrurus. |
Diplodocidae[11] | Indeterminate | Pino de Jarque 2 | ilium | Similar to Diplodocus and Barosaurus. |
Diplodocinae | Indeterminate | El Carrillejo | anterior caudal vertebra | |
Dromaeosauridae | Indeterminate | - Barrihonda-El Humero
- Puntal de Santa Cruz
| 7 teeth | Possibly belonging to a velociraptorine. |
Galvesaurus[12] | G. herreroi | Cuesta Lonsal-1 | partial skeleton | Was once thought to be a turiasaur or basal macronarian, but now known to be a brachiosaurid. |
Iberosauripus[13] | I. grandis | El Castellar | trackway | Likely belonged to a megalosaurid. |
Losillasaurus[14] | L. giganteus |
| caudal vertebrae, and two partial skeletons | A large turiasaur closely related to Turiasaurus. |
Macronaria | Indeterminate | - La Quineta 1
- Las Viñas
- San Lorenzo
| caudal vertebrae | |
Megalosauridae | Indeterminate | - Carretera
- La Fonseca
- Masía de la Hoya Alta
- RD-39
| teeth | Tentatively referred to the Megalosauridae. Some of the largest theropod teeth of Spain. |
Oblitosaurus | O. bunnueli | Barrihonda-El Humero | "a dentary tooth, an ungual pollex of the manus, and an almost complete left hindlimb" | Basalmost ankylopollexian, sister taxon to Draconyx. |
Turiasaurus[15] | T. riodevensis | - Barrihonda–El Humero
- Corral de la Cautiva
| several postcranial and cranial elements | A large turiasaur, similar to Losillasaurus. |
Turiasauria | Indeterminate | Puntal de Santa Cruz | several postcranial elements | Indeterminate turiasaur material originally referred to Turiasaurus, but does not share any unique features with the genus[16] | |
See also
Further reading
- L. Alcalá, A. Cobos, E. Espilez, F. Gascó, L. Mampel, C. M. Escorza, and R. Royo-Torres. 2012. Icnitas de dinosaurios en la Formación Villar del Arzobispo de Ababuj (Teruel, España) [Dinosaur footprints from the Villar del Arzobispo Formation in Ababuj (Teruel, Spain)]. Geogaceta 51:35-38
- J. L. Barco. 2005. Estudio y comparación del esqueleto axial de un saurópodo (Dinosauria, Sauropodomorpha) procedente de la Formación Villar del Arzobispo (Titónico-Berriasiense) de Galve, Teruel [Study and comparison of the axial skeleton of a sauropod (Dinosauria, Sauropodomorpha) from the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Tithonian-Berriasian) of Galve, Teruel]. Treballs del Museu de Geología de Barcelona 13:15-59
- J. L. Barco, J. I. Canudo, J. I. Ruiz-Omeñaca and R. Royo-Torres. 1999. Bones, teeth and tracks: about sauropod dinosaur remains from Aragón (northeastern Spain). In J. I. Canudo & G. Cuenca-Bescós (eds.), IV European Workshop on Vertebrate Paleontology, Albarracin, Spain. Universidad de Zaragoza 22-23
- M. L. Casanovas-Cladellas, J. V. Santafé-Llopis, J. Pereda-Suberbiola and C. Santisteban-Bové. 1995. Presencia, por primera vez en España, de dinosaurios estegosaurios (Cretácico Inferior de Aldea de Losilla, Valencia) [Presence, for the first time in Spain, of stegosaurian dinosaurs (Lower Cretaceous of Aldea de Losilla, Valencia)]. Revista Española de Paleontología 10(1):83-89
- A. Cobos and F. Gascó. 2013. New vertebral remains of the stegosaurian dinosaur Dacentrurus from Riodeva (Teruel, Spain). Geogaceta 53:17-20
- A. Cobos, R. Royo-Torres, L. Alcalá and L. Mampel. 2010. An Iberian stegosaurs paradise: The Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Tithonian–Berriasian) in Teruel (Spain). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 293(1-2):223-236
- F. Gascó, A. Cobos, R. Royo-Torres, L. Mampel, and L. Alcalá. 2012. Theropod teeth diversity from the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Tithonian–Berriasian) at Riodeva (Teruel, Spain). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments
- R. Royo-Torres, A. Cobos, and L. Alcalá. 2008. Primeros restos directos de dinosaurios en la Sierra de Albarracín (Teruel) [First direct remains of dinosaurs in the Sierra de Albarracín (Teruel)]. In J. I. Ruiz-Omeñaca, L. Piñuela and J. C. García-Ramos (eds), XXIV Jornadas de la Sociedad Española de Paleontología, October 15–18, 2008, Museo del Jurásico de Asturias (MUJA), Colunga, Spain, Libro de Resúmenes 189-190
- R. Royo-Torres, A. Cobos, A. Aberasturi, E. Espílez, I. Fierro, A. González, L. Luque, L. Mampel, and L. Alcalá. 2007. Riodeva sites (Teruel, Spain) shedding light to European sauropod phylogeny. Geogaceta 41:183-186
- B. Sánchez-Hernández, M. J. Benton, and D. Naish. 2007. Dinosaurs and other fossil vertebrates from the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous of the Galve area, NE Spain. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 249:180-215
- C. d. Santisteban, B. Vila, and M. Suñer. 2007. Huellas de dinosaurios conservadas en materiales del cortejo transgresivo en cauces encajados. Jurásico superior y Cretácico inferior de Alpuente, Valencia [Dinosaur footprints preserved in deposits of the transgressive systems tract in incised valleys. Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of Alpuente, Valencia ]. Geogaceta 42:79-82
Notes and References
- Campos-Soto. Sonia. Benito. M. Isabel. Cobos. Alberto. Caus. Esmeralda. Quijada. I. Emma. Suarez-Gonzalez. Pablo. Mas. Ramón. Royo-Torres. Rafael. Alcalá. Luis. May 3, 2019. Revisiting the age and palaeoenvironments of the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous? dinosaur-bearing sedimentary record of eastern Spain: implications for Iberian palaeogeography. Journal of Iberian Geology. 45. 3. 471–510. 10.1007/s41513-019-00106-y. 2019JIbG...45..471C . 1698-6180. 10651/52154. 155353782. free.
- Campos-Soto. Sonia. Cobos. Alberto. Caus. Esmeralda. Benito. M. Isabel. Fernández-Labrador. Laura. Suarez-Gonzalez. Pablo. Quijada. I. Emma. Mas. Ramón. Royo-Torres. Rafael. Alcalá. Luis. November 2017. Jurassic Coastal Park: A great diversity of palaeoenvironments for the dinosaurs of the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Teruel, eastern Spain). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 485. 154–177. 10.1016/j.palaeo.2017.06.010. 2017PPP...485..154C.
- Periáñez. Alberto Cobos. Gascó. Francisco. 2013. New vertebral remains of the stegosaurian dinosaur Dacentrurus from Riodeva (Teruel, Spain). Geogaceta. 53. 17–20. 0213-683X.
- Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517-607.
- Gascó. Francisco. Cobos. Alberto. Royo-Torres. Rafael. Mampel. Luis. Alcalá. Luis. May 9, 2012. Theropod teeth diversity from the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Tithonian–Berriasian) at Riodeva (Teruel, Spain). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments. 92. 2. 273–285. 10.1007/s12549-012-0079-3. 2012PdPe...92..273G . 129930988. 1867-1594.
- Royo-Torres. Rafael. Upchurch. Paul. Mannion. Philip D.. Mas. Ramón. Cobos. Alberto. Gascó. Francisco. Alcalá. Luis. Sanz. José Luis. July 1, 2014. The anatomy, phylogenetic relationships, and stratigraphic position of the Tithonian-Berriasian Spanish sauropod dinosaur Aragosaurus ischiaticus. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. en. 171. 3. 623–655. 10.1111/zoj.12144. 0024-4082. subscription.
- Sánchez-Fenollosa. S.. Verdú. F. J.. Suñer. M.. de Santisteban. C.. January 8, 2022. Tracing Late Jurassic ornithopod diversity in the eastern Iberian Peninsula: Camptosaurus-like postcranial remains from Alpuente (Valencia, Spain). Journal of Iberian Geology. 48 . 1 . 65–78 . en. 10.1007/s41513-021-00182-z. 2022JIbG...48...65S . 245804125 . 1698-6180. subscription.
- Sánchez-Fenollosa . S. . Escaso . F. . Cobos . A. . 2024 . A new specimen of Dacentrurus armatus Owen, 1875 (Ornithischia: Thyreophora) from the Upper Jurassic of Spain and its taxonomic relevance in the European stegosaurian diversity . Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society . 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae074 .
- Company. J.. Pereda Suberbiola. X.. Ruiz-omeñaca. J.I.. 2010. New stegosaurian (Ornithischia, Thyreophora) remains from Jurassic-Cretaceous transition beds of Valencia province (Southwestern Iberian Range, Spain). Journal of Iberian Geology. 36. 2. 243–252. 10.5209/rev_JIGE.2010.v36.n2.10. 1698-6180. free. 2010JIbG...36..243C .
- Cobos. Alberto. Royo-Torres. Rafael. Luque. Luis. Alcalá. Luis. Mampel. Luis. July 1, 2010. An Iberian stegosaurs paradise: The Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Tithonian–Berriasian) in Teruel (Spain). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. en. 293. 1. 223–236. 10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.05.024. 2010PPP...293..223C. 0031-0182.
- Royo-Torres. Rafael. Cobos. Alberto. Luque. Luis. Aberasturi. Ainara. Espílez. Eduardo. Fierro. Ignacio. González. Ana. Mampel. Luis. Alcalá. Luis. 2009. High European sauropod dinosaur diversity during Jurassic–Cretaceous transition in Riodeva (Teruel, Spain). Palaeontology. en. 52. 5. 1009–1027. 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2009.00898.x. 2009Palgy..52.1009R . 1475-4983.
- Pérez-Pueyo. M.. Moreno-Azanza. M.. Barco. J.L.. Canudo. J.I.. 2019. New contributions to the phylogenetic position of the sauropod Galvesaurus herreroi from the late Kimmeridgian-early Tithonian (Jurassic) of Teruel (Spain). Boletín Geológico y Minero. 130. 3. 375–392. 10.21701/bolgeomin.130.3.001. free.
- Cobos. Alberto. Lockley. Martin G.. Gascó. Francisco. Royo–Torres. Rafael. Alcalá. Luis. April 2014. Megatheropods as apex predators in the typically Jurassic ecosystems of the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Iberian Range, Spain). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 399. 31–41. 10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.02.008. 2014PPP...399...31C. 0031-0182.
- Royo-Torres. Rafael. Cobos. Alberto. Mocho. Pedro. Alcalá. Luis. January 1, 2021. Origin and evolution of turiasaur dinosaurs set by means of a new 'rosetta' specimen from Spain. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. en. 191. 1. 201–227. 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa091. 0024-4082. free.
- Royo-Torres. Rafael. Cobos. Alberto. Alcalá. Luis. December 22, 2006. A Giant European Dinosaur and a New Sauropod Clade. Science. en. 314. 5807. 1925–1927. 10.1126/science.1132885. 17185599. 2006Sci...314.1925R. 9343711. 0036-8075.
- Mannion. Philip D. Upchurch. Paul. Schwarz. Daniela. Wings. Oliver. February 27, 2019. Taxonomic affinities of the putative titanosaurs from the Late Jurassic Tendaguru Formation of Tanzania: phylogenetic and biogeographic implications for eusauropod dinosaur evolution. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. en. 185. 3. 784–909. 10.1093/zoolinnean/zly068. 0024-4082. 10044/1/64080. free.