Le Quesnoy (QNY2): Ypresian, France
collected 1997 1998

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
unclassified
Arthropoda indet. Gravenhorst 1843
300 arthropod species; hexapods, mites, spiders, and a pseudoscorpion
Hexapoda indet. Latreille 1825
nearly all recent orders of Hexapoda have been found
Insecta - Mantodea
Mantodea indet. Burmeister 1838
Mantodea with several 'blattoid' characters
Insecta - Blattodea
Insecta - Blattodea - Kalotermitidae
Insecta - Blattodea - Mastotermitidae
Mastotermitidae indet. (Desneux 1904)
Insecta - Dermaptera
new family (1 measurement)
Insecta - Hymenoptera
parasitoid Hymenoptera with their host present
Insecta - Hymenoptera - Formicidae
nearly all modern subfamilies of Formicidae present (1 measurement)
Aria et al. 2011
Insecta - Hymenoptera - Scolebythidae
Insecta - Coleoptera - Cantharidae
Bupestridae indet. Kiesenwetter 1852
Insecta - Coleoptera - Cerambycidae
Insecta - Diptera
mating Diptera present
Insecta - Diptera - Bibionidae
Plecia sp. Wiedemann 1823
Insecta - Odonata
Collembola - Collembola
Collembola indet. Lubbock 1871
Arachnida
Acarina indet. (Leach 1817)
present on mammalian hairs
Actinopteri - Lepisosteiformes - Lepisosteidae
Actinopteri - Amiiformes - Amiidae
Actinopteri - Perciformes
Percoidei indet. (Bleeker 1859)
unclassified
present on mammalian hairs
Reptilia - Testudines
'chelydroide' gen, sp. indet.
Reptilia - Testudines - Trionychidae
Trionyx s.l. sp. 1 and sp. 2
    = Trionychidae indet. Gray 1825
Alroy 2009
erroneously spelled Palaeotrionyx
Reptilia - Testudines - Geoemydidae
Palaeochelys sp. sensu lato Meyer 1847
    = Merovemys ploegi n. gen., n. sp. Hervet 2006
Hervet 2006
Reptilia
MNHN QNY 1C5 & QNY 2C4
Diplocynodon sp. Pomel 1847
MNHN QNY 1C4
MNHN QNY 2C1
MNHN QNY 1C7
Oiseaux Fam. indet.: gen., sp. indet.
Reptilia - Iguanidae
Reptilia - Anguidae
Reptilia
Reptilia - Necrosauridae
Reptilia - Cordylidae
Reptilia - Eolacertidae
Eolacerta sp. Nöth 1940
Augé 2005 3 specimens
incomplete right maxilla, two dorsal vertebrae
Reptilia - Lacertidae
Lacertidae indet. Bonaparte 1831
Plesiolacerta sp. Hoffstetter 1942
Reptilia - Gekkonidae
Reptilia - Boidae
Boidae indet. Gray 1825
Groupe Paleryx-Palaeopythori; gen., sp. indet
Reptilia - Tropidophiidae
Mammalia - Multituberculata
Mammalia - Esthonychidae
Esthonyx sp. Cope 1874
Mammalia - Pantodonta
Mammalia - Apatotheria
cf. Apatotheria indet. Scott and Jepsen 1936
Mammalia - Macroscelidea - Amphilemuridae
cf. Macrocranion sp. Weitzel 1949
Mammalia - Rodentia - Ischyromyidae
gen., sp. indet. 1 and 2
Mammalia - Primates - Notharctidae
Cantius sp. Simons 1962
Mammalia - Primates - Omomyidae
Teilhardina aff. belgica (Teilhard de Chardin 1927)
Mammalia - Primates - Plesiadapidae
Platychoerops sp. Charlesworth 1855
new species
Mammalia - Pantolestidae
Palaeosinopa sp. Matthew 1901
Mammalia - Nyctitheriidae
Mammalia - Metacheiromyidae
Gheerbrant et al. 2005
Mammalia - Oxyaenidae
Oxyaena woutersi (Lange-Badré and Godinot 1982)
Solé et al. 2011
MNHN QNY2-2568, 2527, 2569, 2561, 2603, 2584, 2586, 2598, 2551, 2571, 2574, 2590, 2572, 2573, 2600, 2503, 2549, 2622, 2565, 2595, 2579, 2524, 2526, 2636, 2633, 2635 and 2638
Palaeonictis cf. gigantea de Blainville 1842
    = Palaeonictis gigantea de Blainville 1842
Solé et al. 2011
MNHN QNY2-2562 (and many more specimens)
Mammalia
Solé et al. 2013
MNHN QNY2- 2520, 2517, 2546, 2510, 2618, 2522, 2528 and 2533
Solé et al. 2013
MNHN QNY2-2548 - type; referred specimens: MNHN QNY2-2547, 2505, 2532, 2535, 2502 and 2507
    = Miacis latouri Quinet 1966
Solé et al. 2013
MNHN QNY2- 2619, 2534, 2553, 2554, 2523, 2624 and 2511
Mammalia - Hyaenodonta - Hyaenodontidae
Solé et al. 2013
MNHN QNY2- 2504, 2508, 2514, 2570, 2617, 2623 and 2625
gen., sp. indet. 1 and 2
Solé et al. 2013
MNHN QNY2-2509, 2529-2531 and 2542
Solé et al. 2013
MNHN QNY2-2501, 2512, 2516 and 2519
Mammalia - Procreodi - Arctocyonidae
cf. Landenodon sp. Quinet 1968
Mammalia - Perissodactyla - Palaeotheriidae
Mammalia - Perissodactyla - Equidae
Bronnert et al. 2017
MNHN QNY2-2696 - type
Mammalia - Diacodexeidae
Mammalia - Condylarthra - Hyopsodontidae
Hyopsodus sp. Leidy 1870
Mammalia
Peratherium sp. Aymard 1850
or Amphiperatherium sp.
Amphibia - Temnospondyli - Pelobatidae
Pelobatidae indet. Lataste 1879
Amphibia - Temnospondyli
Caudata indet. Scopoli 1777
fam., gen., sp. indet.
Amphibia - Temnospondyli - Urodela
gen., sp. indet.
Charales - Feistiellaceae
Nitellopsis (Tectochara)
unclassified
"dicotyledon" wood
Angiospermae - Laurales - Lauraceae
Lauraceae indet. Jussieu 1789
leaf
Angiospermae - Arecaceae
Arecaceae indet. von Berchtold and Presl 1820
wood
Angiospermae - Gentianales - Apocynaceae
Apocynaceae indet. de Jussieu 1789
pollen; Apocynaceae and/or Tiliaceae
Angiospermae - Fagales - Myricaceae
Myricaceae indet. Martinov 1817
pollen: Myricaceae and/or Symplocaceae
Angiospermae - Fagales - Juglandaceae
pollen
Angiospermae - Celastrales - Celastraceae
pollen
Angiospermae - Rosales
fruit
unclassified
wood
see common names

Geography
Country:France State/province:Oise
Coordinates: 49.3° North, 2.7° East (view map)
Paleocoordinates:40.4° North, 9.6° East (Wright 2013)
Basis of coordinate:based on nearby landmark
Time
Period: Paleogene Epoch: Eocene
Stage: Ypresian 10 m.y. bin: Cenozoic 2
Key time interval: Ypresian
Age range of interval: 56 - 48.07 m.y. ago
Stratigraphy
Formation:Argiles d'lignite du Soissonnais
Stratigraphic resolution:group of beds
Stratigraphy comments: MP7
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology:lenticular,gray sandstone
Includes fossils?Y
Lithology description: a succession of lenticular bodies showing two main facies: 1) clayey sands rich in frequently pyritised lignite, together with amber; 2) grey clayey sands with less lignite (1 to 12 % of the sediment), with continental vertebrate fauna. These facies, the rarity of mollusc shells and charophytes, probably due to decarbonatation and the presence of pyrrhotite (FeS4), reflect a hypoxic environment.
Environment:fine channel fill
Geology comments: Strata deposited at bottom of two channels cutting into underlying Thanetian marine green sands. The channels prograde toward the northeast and were discovered under Oise River Quaternary deposits.
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:body,soft parts,amber
Size of fossils:macrofossils,microfossils
Collection methods and comments
Collection excludes:some genera,some macrofossils,some microfossils
Collection methods:bulk,field collection
Reason for describing collection:general faunal/floral analysis
Museum repositories:MNHN
Collection dates:1997 and 1998
Collection method comments: Screen-washing noted by Gheerbrant et al. 2005
Taxonomic list comments:Original faunal list only notes vertebrates; other organisms mentioned in text.
Metadata
Database number:68174
Authorizer:P. Holroyd, P. Mannion, M. Clapham, P. Barrett, J. Alroy Enterer:P. Holroyd, T. Cleary, J. Alroy, M. Clapham, P. Mannion
Modifier:P. Mannion Research group:paleobotany,paleoentomology,vertebrate
Created:2007-01-06 17:04:04 Last modified:2025-02-22 15:12:02
Access level:the public Released:2007-01-06 17:04:04
Creative Commons license:CC0
Reference information

Primary reference:
19606. A. Nel, G. de Plöeg, J. Dejax, D. Duthiel, D. Franceschi, E. Gheerbrant, M. Godinot, S. Hervet, J.-J. Menier, M. Augé, G. Bignot, C. Cavagnetto, S. Duffaud, J. Gaudant, S. Hua, A. Jossang, F. Lapparent Broin, J.-P. Pozzi, J.-C. Paicheler, F. Beuchet, and J.-C. Rage. 1999. Un gisement sparnacien exceptionnel à plantes, arthropodes et vertébrés (Éocène basal, MP7): Le Quesnoy (Oise, France). Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences - Series IIA - Earth and Planetary Science 329(1):65-72 [P. Holroyd/P. Holroyd]

Secondary references:

29343 J. Alroy. 2009. High-handed opinions on taxonomy and other matters. [J. Alroy/J. Alroy]
36397 C. Aria, V. Perrichot, and A. Nel. 2011. Fossil Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Early Eocene amber of France. Zootaxa 2870:53-62 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
59290 M. L. Augé. 2005. Evolution des lézards du Paléogène en Europe. Mémoires du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle 192:1-369 [P. Barrett/T. Cleary/T. Cleary]
62812 C. Bronnert, E. Gheerbrant, M. Godinot and G. Métais. 2017. A primitive perissodactyl (Mammalia) from the early Eocene of Le Quesnoy (MP7, France). Historical Biology [P. Mannion/P. Mannion]
19607 E. Gheerbrant, K. D. Rose, and M. Godinot. 2005. First palaeanodont (?pholidotan) mammal from the Eocene of Europe. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 50(2):209-218 [P. Holroyd/P. Holroyd]
58649 S. Hervet. 2006. The oldest European ptychogasterid turtle (Testudinoidea) from the lowermost Eocene amber locality of Le Quesnoy (France, Ypresian, MP7). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 26(4):839-848 [P. Holroyd/P. Holroyd]
46507 S. Hua. 2004. Les crocodiliens du Sparnacien (Eocene Inferieur) du Quesnoy (Oise, France). Oryctos 5:57-62 [P. Mannion/P. Mannion/P. Mannion]
36717 A. G. Kirejtshuk, M. V. Nabozhenko, and A. Nel. 2010. New genus and species of the tribe Opatrini (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Tenebrioninae) from the lowermost Eocene amber of Paris Basin. Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS 314(2):191-196 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy]
36979 A. G. Kirejtshuk, A. Nel, and F. Collomb. 2010. New Archostemata (Insecta: Coleoptera) from the French Paleocene and Early Eocene, with a note on the composition of the suborder. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 46(1-2):216-227 [M. Clapham/J. Karr]
39648 A. G. Moseyko, A. G. Kirejtshuk, and A. Nel. 2010. New genera and new species of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Polyphaga: Chrysomelidae) from lowermost Eocene French amber. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 46:116-123 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
39549 A. Nel. 2006. Oldest records of Bombyliidae: Phthiriinae and Mythicomyiidae: Glabellulinae from the Lowermost Eocene amber of France (Diptera: Bombylioidea). European Journal of Entomology 103(1):109-114 [M. Clapham/J. Karr]
39100 A. Nel, V. Perrichot, and D. Azar. 2005. New and poorly known fossil Coniopterygidae in Cretaceous and Cenozoic ambers (Insecta: Neuroptera). Annales Zoologici 55:1-7 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
39493 A. Nel, A. Waller, and G. Ploég. 2004. The oldest fossil Tingidae from the lowermost Eocene amber of the Paris Basin (Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha: Tingoidea). Geologica Acta 2:37-43 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]
60841 F. Solé, E. Gheerbrant, and M. Godinot. 2011. New data on the Oxyaenidae from the Early Eocene of Europe; biostratigraphic, paleobiogeographic and paleoecologic implications. Palaeontologia Electronica 14(2):13A:1-41 [P. Mannion/P. Mannion]
60840 F. Solé, E. Gheerbrant, and M. Godinot. 2013. Sinopaninae and Arfianinae (Hyaenodontida, Mammalia) from the Early Eocene of Europe and Asia; evidence for dispersal in Laurasia around the Paleocene/Eocene boundary and for an unnoticed faunal turnover in Europe. Geobios 46:313-327 [P. Mannion/P. Mannion]
60847 F. Solé, E. Gheerbrant, and M. Godinot. 2013. The “miacids” (Carnivoraformes, Mammalia) from the Early Eocene locality of Le Quesnoy (MP7, France); first occurrence of Vassacyon in Europe. Comptes Rendus Palevol 12:191-202 [P. Mannion/P. Mannion]