Aix-en-Provence (Inst. Geol. Nancy): Chattian, France

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Insecta - Hemiptera - Aphrophoridae
Aphrophora coquandi Theobald 1937
1 specimen
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 6
Insecta - Hemiptera - Rhyparochromidae
Aphanus murchisonae (Heer 1853)
3 specimens
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 21-23
Insecta - Hemiptera - Berytidae
Megalomerium serratum Theobald 1937
1 specimen
recombined as Metacanthus (Megalomerium) serratum
F 220(257)
Insecta - Hemiptera - Cydnidae
Cydnus brevicollis (Heer 1853)
1 specimen
Cydnus meunieri Theobald 1937
1 specimen
Insecta - Diptera - Bibionidae
Bibio curtisi (Heer 1856)
1 specimen
original and current combination Bibio curtisii
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 14
Bibio morio Heer 1849
1 specimen
recombined as Plecia morio
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 10
Plecia retracta Theobald 1937
1 specimen
nomen dubium belonging to Plecia
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 13
Plecia livida (Heer 1849)
2 specimens
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 9, 19
Plecia constricta Theobald 1937
1 specimen
synonym of Plecia livida
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 1
Plecia brevipennis (Heer 1856)
1 specimen
synonym of Plecia livida
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 18
Plecia splendida Theobald 1937
1 specimen
synonym of Plecia foersteri
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 15
Plecia bucklandi (Heer 1849)
1 specimen
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 12
Plecia cf. elegans (Heer 1856)
1 specimen
synonym of Plecia bucklandi
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 4(3)
Plecia gracilis (Heer 1856)
1 specimen
synonym of Plecia bucklandi
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 2
Bibio detractus Theobald 1937
1 specimen
synonym of Plecia lygaeoides
Inst. Geol. Nancy AN 8
see common names

Geography
Country:France State/province:Bouches-Du-Rhone
Coordinates: 43.5° North, 5.5° East (view map)
Paleocoordinates:43.3° North, 2.8° East
Basis of coordinate:estimated from map
Geographic resolution:local area
Time
Period:Paleogene Epoch:Oligocene
Stage:Chattian 10 m.y. bin:Cenozoic 4
Key time interval:Chattian
Age range of interval:28.10000 - 23.03000 m.y. ago
Stratigraphy
Formation:Niveau du gypse d'Aix
Stratigraphy comments: "The ‘insect formation’ is 2.5 m thick, divided in two parts that correspond to two very different environmental conditions. The first (lower) episode is remarkable by its lateral mo- notony of facies on a distance of 6 km at least, in the outcrops observed on the northwest of Aix-en-Provence. This lower episode is distinguished from the rest of the ‘insect formation’ and from the whole formation of Aix-en-Provence by the presence of a very numerous thin limestone laminae. The second (upper) episode is remarkable by the presence of many silici- fied laminae. The fauna in this level is also very well preserved"….This collection consists of unspecified layers
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology:planar lamination lithified "limestone"
Lithology description: The deposit presents an alternation of limestone and marls with gypsum.
Environment:lacustrine - large Tectonic setting:rift
Geology comments: This lacustrine formation was deposited in a very large but shallow-water lake, with variable salinity and near the marine coast (Nury 1990, Nury & Thomassin 1994). Irregular basins formed during extension of the European platform in the Oligocene resulting from the formation of the West-European rift system.
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:mold/impression,adpression
Size of fossils:macrofossils,mesofossils
Collection methods and comments
Reason for describing collection:taxonomic analysis
Collection method comments: specimens in Inst. Geol. Nancy
Taxonomic list comments:"This formation has yielded a diverse flora and fauna, with finely preserved fossils. The flora is represented by numerous plant remains (pollen, roots, wood, stems, leaves, seeds and flowers). The fauna of vertebrates is represented by abundant fishes (GAUDANT 1978), and some frogs, birds, and bats with preserved skin outlines. Some invertebrates are perfectly preserved, including jellyfish and shells of aquatic molluscs with original colors and ornamentations (NEL et al. 1987). Aquatic and terrestrial arthropods (insects and arachnids) are very diverse and frequently well preserved….
In spite of this, aquatic insects remain comparatively rare among the 30,000 fossil insects one of us (A.N.) collected at the locality."
Metadata
Database number:122509
Authorizer:M. Clapham Enterer:J. Karr
Modifier:M. Clapham Research group:paleoentomology
Created:2011-12-31 20:11:19 Last modified:2014-08-24 11:06:24
Access level:the public Released:2013-12-31 20:11:19
Creative Commons license:CC BY
Reference information

Primary reference:

38999. N. Theobald. 1937. Les insectes fossiles des terrains oligocènes de France. Bulletin Mensuel (Mémoires) de la Société des Sciences de Nancy 1:1-473 [M. Clapham/J. Karr]