Maastricht Formation

Geological formation in the Netherlands and Belgium From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maastricht Formation

The Maastricht Formation (Dutch: Formatie van Maastricht; abbreviation: MMa), named after the city of Maastricht in the Netherlands, is a geological formation in the Netherlands and Belgium whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous, within 500,000 years of the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary,[1] now dated at 66 million years ago. The formation is part of the Chalk Group and is between 30 and 90 metres (98 and 295 ft) thick. It crops out in southern parts of Dutch and Belgian Limburg and adjacent areas in Germany. It can be found in the subsurface of northern Belgium and southeastern Netherlands, especially in the Campine Basin and Roer Valley Graben. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[2]

Quick Facts Type, Sub-units ...
Maastricht Formation
Stratigraphic range: MaastrichtianDanian
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Old stone quarry at Kunrade, where the Kunrade Member of the Maastricht Formation outcrops
TypeGeological formation
Sub-unitsMeerssen Member, Nekum Member, Emael Member, Schiepersberg Member, Gronsveld Member, Valkenburg Member and Kunrade Member
UnderliesHouthem Formation
OverliesGulpen Formation
Thickness30–90 m (98–295 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryChalk
OtherMarl, flint
Location
RegionEurope
CountryNetherlands
Belgium
Type section
Named forMaastricht
Named byDumont
Year defined1849
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Lithology

The Maastricht Formation consists of soft, sandy shallow marine limestone (in Limburg locally called "mergel"), in fact chalk and calcareous arenite. These lithologies locally alternate with thin bands of marl or clay. The lower parts of the formation contain flint concretions. The upper parts can have shellrich layers. Its age is between about 70 and 66 million years, which puts it in the Maastrichtian, a stage that was named after the formation. The top of the formation has been identified as Danian (early Paleocene) in age.[3][4] The type locality is at the ruins of Lichtenberg castle on Mount Saint Peter, Maastricht.

Stratigraphy

The Maastricht Formation was first described by Belgian geologist André Dumont in 1849. The formation is subdivided in seven members, from top to bottom these are the Meerssen Member, Nekum Member, Emael Member, Schiepersberg Member, Gronsveld Member, Valkenburg Member and Kunrade Member. The members are often hard to distinguish.[5]

The Maastricht Formation is overlain by the Paleocene Houthem Formation and was deposited on top of the older Gulpen Formation.

Vertebrate paleofauna

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Dinosaurs

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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.
More information Dinosaurs reported from the Maastricht Formation, Genus ...
Dinosaurs reported from the Maastricht Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Asteriornis A. maastrichtensis[6] Limb bones and a mostly complete skull A stem-Galloanserae
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Betasuchus B. bredai Geographically present in the Dutch province of Limburg. "Femur."[7] An abelisauroid.[2] Thumb
Janavis J. finalidens[8] An ichthyornithine
Megalosaurus M. bredai Geographically present in the Dutch province of Limburg. Reclassified as Betasuchus bredai.[2]
Orthomerus O. dolloi Geographically present in the Dutch and Belgian provinces of Limburg. A dubious hadrosaurid.[2] Thumb
Indeterminate euhadrosaurian remains Geographically present in the Dutch province of Limburg. A hadrosauroid.[2]
"Unnamed ornithurine" Unnamed An ornithurine.[1][9]
"Unnamed enantiornithine" Unnamed An enantiornithine.[1][9]
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Mammals

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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.
More information Mammals reported from the Maastricht Formation, Genus ...
Mammals reported from the Maastricht Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images

Maastrichtidelphys

M. meurismeti

Geographically present in the Dutch province of Limburg.

"Right upper molar."

A herpetotheriid marsupial.[10]

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Mosasaurs

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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.
More information Mosasaurs reported from the Maastricht Formation, Genus ...
Mosasaurs reported from the Maastricht Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images

Carinodens

C. belgicus

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C. fraasi

Junior synonym of C. belgicus.

Globidens

G. fraasi

Reclassified as Carinodens fraasi

Mosasaurus

M. hoffmannii

Holotype
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M. lemonnieri

Plioplatecarpus

P. marshi

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Prognathodon P.? saturator
P.? sectorius
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Testudines

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.

Bony fish

More information Genus, Species ...
Bony fish reported from the Maastricht Formation[11][12][13]
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Alaconger A. triquetrus Otoliths A conger eel.
Ampheristus A. sp. Otolith A cusk-eel.
Anomoeodus A. foriri Teeth, tooth plates A pycnodont.
A. fraiponti
A. subclavatus
Apateodus A. corneti Jaws, teeth, articulated skull An ichthyotringid aulopiform.
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Archaemacruroides A. vanknippenbergi Otoliths A gadiform of uncertain affinities.
Argentina A. voigti Otoliths A herring smelt.
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Argyroberyx A. dentatus Otoliths A beryciform of uncertain affinities.
Belonostomus B. sp. Teeth, jaws An aspidorhynchid.
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Centroberyx C. fragilis Otolith A nannygai.
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Cimolichthys C. sp. Teeth A cimolichthyid aulopiform.
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Cretaserranus C. maastrichtiensis Otoliths A perciform, possibly a serranid.
Cyranichthys C. jagti Articulated specimen, scutes A dercetid aulopiform.
Dercetis D. triqueter Articulated specimens A dercetid aulopiform.
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Enchodus E. faujasi Jaws with teeth An enchodontid aulopiform.
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Hoplopteryx H. sp. Articulated specimens A trachichthyiform.
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?Ichthyotringa ?I. tavernei Otoliths An ichthyotringid aulopiform.
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Ophidercetis O. italiensis Skull bones, scutes A dercetid aulopiform.
Paraulopus P. sp. Otolith A cucumberfish.
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Pelargorhynchus P. grandis Skull bones, scutes, scales A dercetid aulopiform.[14]
Pfeilichthys P. pfeili Otolith A holocentriform of uncertain affinities.
Plesiopoma P. otiosa Otoliths A percomorph, possibly a lanternbelly.
Rhinocephalus R. cretaceus Otoliths A hake.
Saurocephalus S. woodwardii Teeth, jaws, vertebrae An ichthyodectiform.
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Severnichthys S. sp. Otolith A beardfish.
Sillaginocentrus S. alienus Otolith A holocentriform of uncertain affinities.
?Sparidae indet. Otoliths A potential seabream, but may be another non-percomorph teleost instead.
Tetraodontiformes indet. Scale plates A tetraodontiform.
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Invertebrate paleofauna

More information Invertebrates reported from the Maastricht Formation, Genus ...
Invertebrates reported from the Maastricht Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images

Maastrichtiocaris[15]

M. rostratus

Middle Meerssen Member Carapace A cyclidan crustcean, youngest member of the group, has also alternatively been suggested to be a crab.
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See also

References

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