Scalby Formation

The Scalby Formation is a geological formation in England. Part of the Ravenscar Group, it was deposited in the Bathonian stage of the Middle Jurassic. The lower Moor Grit Member has a lithology consisting of medium to coarse grained cross bedded sandstone, with thin beds of mudstone and siltstone, while the upper Long Nab Member has a lithology consisting of predominantly laminated mudstone and siltstone, with fine to medium grained planar and cross stratified sandstones.^[1] The formation is thought to have accumulated on a floodplain,^[2] with a seasonally dry climate.^[3]

Scalby Formation
Stratigraphic range: Bathonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
exposure of the Scalby Formation near Scalby, North Yorkshire
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Ravenscar Group
Sub-units	Moor Grit Member, Long Nab Member
Underlies	Cornbrash Formation, Osgodby Formation
Overlies	Scarborough Formation
Thickness	up to 60 metres (200 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Moor Grit Member - Sandstone Long Nab Member - Mudstone, Siltstone
Other	Moor Grit Member - Mudstone, Siltstone Long Nab Member - Sandstone
Location
Region	Europe
Country	UK
Extent	North Yorkshire
Type section
Named for	Scalby, North Yorkshire
Location	Scalby Cliff

Fossilized dinosaur tracks have been found in the Scalby Formation; these include a recently discovered footprint from a large theropod, probably a megalosaurid. The track is from the Long Nab Member, and has been assigned to the ichnogenus Megalosauripus.^[4]

Like other members of the Ravenscar Group, the formation is well known for its plant fossils (including pollen), which consist of Ginkgoales (including the living genus Ginkgo), Czekanowskiales, bennettitaleans, cheirolepidacean and araucarian conifers, ferns, lycophytes, and seed ferns including Caytoniales.^[5][2]