The vertebrate fauna from the “stipite” layers of the Grands Causses (Middle Jurassic, France)

A unique Middle Jurassic vertebrate assemblage from the 'stipites' layers of the Grands Causses, France, reveals one of the few fossil records of this age combining terrestrial and marine influences. The study documents small-sized bones, teeth, and scales of sharks (Hybodus, Asteracanthus), bony fishes (Lepidotes, Pycnodontiformes, etc.), amphibians (Anura, Albanerpetontidae), and reptiles (Crocodylomorpha, Ornithischia, Theropoda). Despite limited taxonomic diversity, this assemblage stands out for its mixed paleoenvironmental signals, surpassing coeval formations in Western Europe—except those from the British Isles—in diversity. The research synthesizes findings from these Bathonian coals and transitional layers, offering insights into Middle Jurassic ecosystems.

Knoll, F., & López-Antoñanzas, R. (2014). The vertebrate fauna from the “stipite” layers of the Grands Causses (Middle Jurassic, France). Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2014.00048