Grünbach Formation

The Grünbach Formation is an Austrian geological formation that dates to the early Campanian age of the Late Cretaceous. it forms part of the Gosau Group, and represents a marine regression event, representing a coastal/brackish environment, being underlain by the marine carbonate Maiersdorf Formation and overlain by the deep marine siliciclastic Piesting Formation. The main lithology is clay, marl, siltstone and sandstone, with a minor conglomerate component. Coal seams have also been noted.^[1][2] It is notable for its fossils including those of dinosaurs and plants.

Grünbach Formation
Stratigraphic range: Early Campanian 83–80 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Vertebrate fauna of the Grünbach Formation
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Gosau Group (Grünbach Syncline)
Sub-units	Dreistetten conglomerate
Underlies	Piesting Formation
Overlies	Maiersdorf Formation
Area	Lower Austria
Thickness	over 150 m (490 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Siltstone, sandstone, clay & marl
Other	Conglomerate & coal
Location
Region	Central Europe
Country	Austria
Extent	Grünbach Syncline
Type section
Named for	Grünbach am Schneeberg

Vertebrate paleofauna

All remains have been found at a single locality, which is a thin marl seam in the Konstantin mining tunnel, within the Felbering Mine in the Neue Welt area north west of Muthmannsdorf in Lower Austria.^[3] The initial remains were discovered in 1859 after an ornithopod tooth was found in a piece of coal in a dump outside the mine by Professor Ferdinand Stoliczka, and the productive seam discovered thereafter. The first material was described by Emanuel Bunzel in 1871^[4] and then additional material was described by Harry Seeley in 1881.^[5] Due to mining activity in the area ceasing at the end of the 19th century, no additional remains have been recovered since.

Squamates

Squamates of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Araeosaurus	A. gracilis	Muthmannsdorf		Vertebra[5]

Crocodyliformes

Crocodyliformes of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Doratodon	D. carcharidens	Muthmannsdorf		"incomplete mandible, a fragmentary right maxilla, a parietal fragment, and isolated teeth"[6]
Eusuchia	Indeterminate	Muthmannsdorf		"mandible fragment and some postcranial material"

Choristoderes

Choristoderes of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Choristodera	Indeterminate	Muthmannsdorf		"Two platycoelous vertebral centra"[7]

Turtles

Turtles of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Dortokidae[8]	Indeterminate	Muthmannsdorf		Shell fragments
cf. Kallokibotioninae	Indeterminate	Muthmannsdorf		Shell fragments

Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
"Ornithocheirus"	"O". buenzeli	Muthmannsdorf			Remains found not diagnostic, remains referred to Azdarchidae and Pterodactyloidea indet.
Azdarchidae	Indeterminate	Muthmannsdorf		"Proximal portion of a humerus"[9]	Previously referred to "O". buenzeli
Pterodactyloidea	Indeterminate	Muthmannsdorf		"Articular region of a lower jaw, crushed phalangeal fragments"	Previously referred to "O". buenzeli

Non-avian dinosaurs

Dinosaurs of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Mochlodon	M. suessi	Muthmannsdorf		Cranial and postcranial elements
Struthiosaurus	S. austriacus	Muthmannsdorf		Cranial and postcranial elements
Tetanurae	Indeterminate	Muthmannsdorf		"Two fragmentary teeth"	Referred to by the dubious name ‘Megalosaurus pannoniensis’[5] Nearly identical to teeth known from the Csehbánya Formation[10]

Flora

Most of these specimens were recovered from mining dumps near Grünbach am Schneeberg in lower Austria. The flora of the formation is considered to represent that of a high humidity subtropical climate, typical of the Euro-Sinian phytogeographical region.^[11][12][13]

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon		Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Bryophytes

Bryophytes of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic Position	Material	Notes	Images
Stereisporites	Indeterminate				Spore, representative of Sphagnaceae

Lycopodiophyta

Lycopodiophytes of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic Position	Material	Notes	Images
Camarozonosporites	Indeterminate				Spore, representative of Lycopodiaceae
Retitriletes	Indeterminate				Spore, representative of Lycopodium

Pteridophytes

Pteridophytes of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic Position	Material	Notes	Images
Appendicisporites	A. tricuspidatus				Spore, probable affinities with Schizaeaceae
Cicatricosisporites	Indeterminate				Spore, probable affinities with Schizaeaceae
Cingulatisporites	Indeterminate				Spore, affinities with Anemia
Cladophlebis	C. gosauensis
Coniopteris	?
Cyathidites	Indeterminate				Spore
Echinatisporites	Indeterminate				Spore
Equisetites	Indeterminate				A horsetail
Gosauopteris	G. danaeoides				Probable affinities with Marattiaceae
Gleicheniidites	G. senonicus				Spore
Leiotriletes	Indeterminate				Spore, representative of Lygodium
Marsileaceaephyllum	M. campanica				Marsileaceae, very similar to extant Marsilea
Matonisporites	Indeterminate				Spore, Found in situ with Monheimia
Microphyllopteris	M. austriaca
Microtaenia	M. austriaca
Monheimia	M. ungerii				affinities with Matoniaceae, particularly Phanerosorus
Polypodiaceoisporites	Indeterminate				Spore
Raphaelia	R. lobifolia
Sphenopteris	S. gruenbachiana, S. ungeri				Probable affinities with Schizaeaceae

Gymnosperms

Gymnosperms of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic Position	Material	Notes	Images
Geinitzia	G. formosa, G. reichenbachii				Pinopsida, Taxodioid affinity
cf. Lindleycladus	L. lanceolatus
Nilsonia	N. cf. holyi				Bennettitales
Pagiophyllum	Indeterminate
Pityosporites	Indeterminate				Pollen
Podozamites	Indeterminate
Taxiodiaceaepollenites	Indeterminate				Pollen, at least 2 taxa

Angiosperms

Monocots

Monocots of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic Position	Material	Notes	Images
Arecipites	Indeterminate				Pollen, representative of Palmae
Lysichiton	L. austriacus				Araceae, genus extant
Gruenbachia	G. pandanoides				Pandanaceae, reproductive organs of Pandanites
Pandanites	P. trinervis				Pandanaceae
Sabalites	S. longirhachis				Palm
Spinizonocolpites	Indeterminate				Pollen, representative of extant Nypa palm
Theiaiphyllum	T. kollmannii

Dicots

Dicots of the Grünbach Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic Position	Material	Notes	Images
Brasenites	B. krasserii				affinity with Brasenia
Celastrophyllum	Indeterminate, C. johannae				Hamamelidae
Ceratoxylon	Indeterminate				Reproductive structure
Clavatipollenites	Indeterminate				Pollen, representative of Chloranthaceae
Complexiopollis	Indeterminate				Pollen, affinities with Myricaceae
Compositiphyllum	C. serratum
Debeya	D. insignis
Dicotylophyllum	Indeterminate
Ettingshausenia	E. gruenbachiana, E. cf. laevis, Indeterminate				Platanaceae
Extremipollis	Indeterminate				Pollen
Grebenkia	G. europeica
cf. Grevilleophyllum	G. constans
Hungaropollis	Indeterminate				Pollen
Juglandiphyllites	J. pelagicus				possible affinity with Juglandaceae
Krutzschipollites	Indeterminate				Pollen
Laudaypollis	Indeterminate				Pollen
Leguminosites	L. mucronata
Longanulipollis	Indeterminate				Pollen
Menispermites	M. ettingshausenii, M. summesbergerii
Momipetes	Indeterminate				Pollen, similar to extant Engelhardtia
Myricophyllum	M. cf. zenkeri, M. serratum				Affinities with Myrica
Myrtacaedites	Indeterminate				Pollen, Representative of Myrtaceae
Normapolles	Indeterminate				Pollen, very abundant. possibly associated with Juglandaceae
Oculipollis	O. sp, O. parvoculus O.zaklinskaiaiae				Pollen
cf. Pandemophyllum	Indeterminate, P. cf. proteoides
Pseudoplicapollis	Indeterminate				Pollen
Quereuxia	Q. angulata				Possible affinity with Trapa
Rodgersia	Indeterminate
Semioculipollis	Indeterminate				Pollen
Suemegipollis	Indeterminate				Pollen
Ternstroemites	T. (?) neueweltensis
Tricolpopollenites	Indeterminate				Pollen, At least 8 distinct taxa
Viburniphyllum	V. ermannii, V. austriacum