Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of an Albian plant community from the Ariño bonebed layer (Iberian Chain, NE Spain)

Abstract

The AR-1 layer, corresponding to the Escucha Formation (Lower Cretaceous) in the Santa Maria Mine of Ariño, has supplied rich and well-preserved macrofloral and palynological assemblages showing interesting data about both taphonomic and environmental conditions. This single layer is located in the Oliete Sub-Basin from the Maestrazgo Basin in northeastern Spain, and it represents one of the most outstanding single layer fossil sites in the world. This site shows abundant and diverse fauna containing exquisitely preserved vertebrate and invertebrate fossils (dinosaur bones, turtles, crocodiles, fishes, molluscs and ostracods) and also plant remains of Albian age. The assemblage is especially significant for dinosaur phylogenetic analysis. The sedimentary environment corresponds to a freshwater swamp plain with sporadic marine inputs within a deltaic–estuarine system under subtropical–tropical climate.

Keywords::

• paleobotany
• paleopalynology
• Escucha Formation
• Albian
• Spain

Acknowledgements

The authors appreciate the invaluable collaboration of SAMCA Group. The authors are grateful to Eduardo Espílez and Luis Mampel (Fundación Conjunto Paleontológico de Teruel-Dinópolis), co-directors of excavations at Ariño, for their logistic assistance. The authors acknowledge the fruitful comments of Drs Carles Martín Closas and Antonello Bartiromo for improving this article.

Notes

^1. Email:[email protected];[email protected]

^2. Email:[email protected]

^3. Email:[email protected]

^4. Email:[email protected]

^5. Email:[email protected]

Additional information

Funding

This study has been possible by the following fundings: Departamento Educación, Universidad, Cultura y Deporte, Gobierno de Aragón (projects 092/2008-2013; 037/2013); Fundación Conjunto Paleontológico de Teruel-Dinópolis; FOCONTUR (Grupo de Investigación Consolidado E-62, Departamento de Industria e Innovación, Gobierno de Aragón and Fondo Social Europeo); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación/FEDER (project DINOSARAGÓN CGL2009-07792) and Instituto Aragonés de Fomento.