Wikipedia

Escucha Formation

The Escucha Formation is a geological formation in La Rioja and Teruel provinces of northeastern Spain whose strata date back to the late Aptian to middle Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[1]

Escucha Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Aptian-mid Albian
~117–103 Ma
View of Escucha and surrounding rocks
TypeGeological formation
Sub-unitsE1 to E3
UnderliesUtrillas Formation
OverliesCastrillo de la Reina, Benassal and Oliete Formations
Thickness~70 m (230 ft)
Lithology
PrimarySiltstone, mudstone (E1, E3) sandstone (E2)
OtherCoal (E1) siltstone (E2), amber
Location
Coordinates42°36′N 2°42′W / 42.6°N 2.7°W / 42.6; -2.7
Approximate paleocoordinates30°24′N 1°24′E / 30.4°N 1.4°E / 30.4; 1.4
RegionTeruel, Aragón
La Rioja
CountrySpain
ExtentCameros, Maestrazgo and Oliete Basins
Type section
Named forEscucha, Teruel
Escucha Formation is located in Spain
Escucha Formation
Escucha Formation
Escucha Formation (Spain)

The approximately 70 m (230 ft) thick formation underlies the Utrillas Formation and overlies Castrillo de la Reina, Benassal & Oliete Formations. The Escucha Formation comprises siltstones, mudstones, sandstones, coal, siltstones and amber, in which several fossil insects were found. The formation was deposited in a variety of continental to paralic (deltaic) environments.[2]

Depositional Environment

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The Escucha Formation represents syn-rift depositional environment, deposited in siliciclastic carbonate platforms, coastal siliciclastic environments and other offshore settings. In the basal part of the formation, cobble to boulder-sized dropstones of glacial origin have been identified, representing long-distance iceberg rafting from Arctic sources.[3]

Fossil content

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The Escucha Formation has provided the following fossils, among others:[4]

Dinosaurs

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Insects

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Insects
Taxa Location/site Notes Images
Alavaraphidia Peñacerrada I amber [9]
Amarantoraphidia Peñacerrada I amber [9]
Microcostaphron parvus Peñacerrada I amber [10]
Radiophron ibericus Peñacerrada I amber [11]
Styporaphidia? hispanica Peñacerrada I amber [9]
Other arthropods
Invertebrates
Flora

Correlation

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Early Cretaceous stratigraphy of Iberia
MaAgePaleomap \ BasinsCantabrianOlanyàCamerosMaestrazgoOlieteGalveMorellaSouth IberianPre-beticLusitanian
100Cenomanian
La CabanaSopeiraUtrillasMosquerelaCaranguejeira
AltamiraUtrillas
Eguino
125AlbianUllaga - BalmasedaLluçàTraiguera
Monte GrandeEscuchaEscuchaJijona
Itxina - Miono
AptianValmaseda - TellamendiOl Gp. - CastrilloBenassalBenassalOlhos
FontEn Gp. - LezaMorella/OlieteOlieteVillaroyaMorellaCapas
Rojas		Almargem
Patrocinio - ErnagaSenyúsEn Gp. - JubelaForcallVillaroyaUpper
Bedoulian		Figueira
BarremianVega de PasCabóAbejarXertAlacónXertHuérguinaAssises
PradaArtolesColladoMoutonianum Papo Seco
RúbiesTera Gp. - GolmayoAlacón/BlesaBlesaCamarillasMirambel
150HauterivianUr Gp. - PinillaLlacovaCastellarTera Gp. - PinillaVillaresPorto da
Calada
hiatus
HuervaGaita
ValanginianVillaroUr Gp. - LarribaPed Gp. - Hortigüela
Ped Gp. - HortigüelaPed Gp. - Piedrahita
PeñacobaGalveMiravetes
BerriasianCab Gp. - ArceraValdepradohiatusAlfambra
TdL Gp. - RupeloArzobispohiatusTollo
On Gp. - Huérteles
Sierra Matute
TithonianLastresTera Gp. - MagañaHiguerelesTera Gp. - MagañaLourinhã
Arzobispo
Ágreda
Legend Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation
Sources

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Weishampel, et al., 2004
  2. ↑ Peyrot et al., 2007
  3. ↑ Rodríguez-López, Juan Pedro; Liesa, Carlos L.; Pardo, Gonzalo; Meléndez, Nieves; Soria, Ana R.; Skilling, Ian (2016-06-15). "Glacial dropstones in the western Tethys during the late Aptian–early Albian cold snap: Palaeoclimate and palaeogeographic implications for the mid-Cretaceous". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 452: 11–27. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.04.004. ISSN 0031-0182.
  4. ↑ Escucha Formation at Fossilworks.org
  5. ↑ Kirkland et al., 2013
  6. ↑ McDonald et al., 2012
  7. ↑ Pérez García et al., 2020
  8. 1 2 Ossó, À.; Charbonnier, S.; Hyžný, M.; van Bakel, B. W. M.; Devillez, J.; Bover-Arnal, T.; Moreno-Bedmar, J. A. (2024). "Decapod assemblages from the Aptian-Albian transition of the eastern Maestrat Basin (Iberian Chain)". Geologica Acta. 22: 1–35. doi:10.1344/GeologicaActa2024.22.7.
  9. 1 2 3 Pérez de la Fuente et al., 2012
  10. ↑ Ortega Blanco et al., 2010, p.272
  11. ↑ Ortega Blanco et al., 2010, p.267
  12. 1 2 Sánchez-García, A.; Palencia, L.; Delclòs, X.; Peñalver, E. (2024). "False scorpions (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones) from Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber". Papers in Palaeontology. 10 (6). e1608. doi:10.1002/spp2.1608. hdl:10550/111887.

Bibliography

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Further reading

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  • L. Alcalá, E. Espílez, L. Mampel, J. I. Kirkland, M. Ortiga, D. Rubio, A. González, D. Ayala, A. Cobos, R. Royo-Torres, F. Gascó and M. D. Pesquero. 2012. A new Lower Cretaceous vertebrate bonebed near Arino (Tereul, Aragon, Spain); found and managed in a joint collaboration between a mining company and a palaeontological park. Geoheritage 4:275-286
  • J. I. Canudo, A. Cobos, C. Martín-Closas, X. Murelaga, X. Pereda-Suberbiola, R. Royo-Torres, J. I. Ruiz-Omeñaca and L. M. Sender. 2005. Sobre la presencia de dinosaurios ornitópodos en la Formación Escucha (Cretácico Inferior, Albiense): redescubierto "Iguanodon" en Utrillas (Teruel) [On the presence of ornithopod dinosaurs in the Escucha Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Albian): redescribing "Iguanodon" in Utrillas (Teruel)]. Fundamental 6:51-56
  • E. Peñalver, D. A. Grimaldi, and X. Delclos. 2006. Early Cretaceous spider web with its prey. Science 312:1761
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