Kiltorkan Quarry (Devonian of Ireland)

Also known as Kiltorcan Old Plant Quarry

Where: Ireland (52.5° N, 7.2° W: paleocoordinates 18.3° S, 3.7° W)

• coordinate based on nearby landmark

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

When: LE Miospore other zone, Kiltorcan Formation, Late/Upper Famennian (364.7 - 360.7 Ma)

• The corresponding strata are encompassed by outcrops stratigraphically extending both below and above them, that do not yield macrofossils of the same quality and diversity, but miospore assemblages aiding in the age dating of the entire sequence. The most extensive outcrop to be found today on the hill is an active quarry referred as the New Quarry, which yields LE miospore assemblages of the ‘Strunian’ latest Famennian (uppermost Devonian). The topmost outcrop on the hill (Roadstone Quarry) yields a VI miospore assemblage of the lower-most Carboniferous. The strata on Kiltorcan Hill, therefore, straddle the Devonian/Carboniferous Boundary, suggesting that the original Kiltorcan locality, located between New and Roadstone quarries horizons, is likely latest Famennian.

• group of beds-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: fluvial; lithified, green siltstone

• Jarvis was unable to analyze this because outcrop now not available. Coalthurst (1977, 1978) suggested it was a bar-tail in a meandering river channel.

Size classes: macrofossils, microfossils

Preservation: mold/impression, adpression, replaced with other

Collected by W.H. Bailly, A. M'Henry in 1869

Collection methods: quarrying, mechanical,

Primary reference: W. H. Baily. 1870. On fossils obtained at Kiltorkan Quarry, Co. Kilkenny. Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science 39:73-75 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham/M. Clapham]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 32230: authorized by Pat Gensel, entered by Pat Gensel on 16.06.2003, edited by Matthew Clapham

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Archaeopteridopsida
 Archaeopteridales - Archaeopteridaceae
"Palaeopteris hibernica" = Archaeopteris hibernica
"Palaeopteris hibernica" = Archaeopteris hibernica Forbes 1854
Sphenopteridae
  - Sphenopteridae
Bivalvia
 Unionida - Unionidae
Anodonta jukesii freshwater mussel
Xiphosura
 Xiphosurida - Belinuridae
? Belinurus kiltorkensis n. sp. Baily 1870
Euchelicerata
 Eurypterida - Hibbertopteridae
"Pterygotus hibernicus n. sp." = Hibbertopterus hibernicus
"Pterygotus hibernicus n. sp." = Hibbertopterus hibernicus Baily 1870 eurypterid
Malacostraca
 Eumalacostraca -
Oxyuropoda ligioides n. gen. n. sp.
Oxyuropoda ligioides n. gen. n. sp. Carpenter and Swain 1908
Proricaris machenrici
  -
Proricaris machenrici n. gen. n. sp.
Proricaris machenrici n. gen. n. sp. Baily 1870
Placodermi
 Arthrodira - Coccosteidae
Coccosteus cf. decipiens Agassiz 1841 armour-plated fish
Osteichthyes
 Dipnomorpha - Holoptychiidae
Glyptolepis elegans Agassiz 1844 lobe-finned fish