Armissam quarry, near Narbonne: Late/Upper Oligocene - Early/Lower Miocene, France

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Mammalia - Anthracotheriidae
Anthracotherium hippoideum Rutimeyer 1856
recombined as Paenanthracotherium hippoideum
Mammalia - Rodentia - Pseudosciuridae
Pseudosciurus suevicum
Reptilia
Lazarussuchus inexpectatus n. gen., n. sp. Hecht 1992
1 specimen
Re 437 (holotype skeleton with skull)
see common names

Geography
Country:France State/province:Aude
Coordinates: 43.2° North, 3.1° East (view map)
Paleocoordinates:43.1° North, 1.1° East
Basis of coordinate:based on nearby landmark
Time
Key time interval:Late/Upper Oligocene - Early/Lower Miocene
Age range of interval:27.82000 - 15.98000 m.y. ago
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy comments: The age of the deposit has been variously assigned to the lower Miocene (Aquitanian) by de Lapparent (1906, 1938) and Lavocat (1955) and by Schmidt-Kittler (1971) to the later Oligocene (Stampian). The deposit described by Noulet (1877) and Viguier (1888) was an old quarry and was well known and collected assiduously towards the end of the last century (de Saporta 1865 ; de Lapparent 1906, p. 1590 ; Lavocat 1955). Early authors (such as Noulet 1877) noted the remains of abundant plant fragments, molluscs, birds, mammals, reptiles and fishes. It is interesting to note that both words, mammals and reptiles, are recorded in the plural state although only one reptile is known from the deposit. Many aquatic angiosperms were noted by de Saporta (1866). Two mammals have been recorded from the deposit: Anthracotherium hippoideum (Noulet Urn) and Pseudosciurus suevicum. (Lavocat 1955 ; Schmidt-Kittler 1971). No other mention has been made of the Anthracotherium. Lavocat (1955) following de Lapparent states that the Pseudosciurus indicated a lower Miocene age (Aquitanian). Schmidt-Kittler (1971) in his review of the genus implies that the Armissan specimen is identical with specimens from Germany and states that the latest date for this form is middle Stampian. Noulet (1877) and Viguier (1888) record that all the vertebrate fossils are from one layer. The matrix of the block, in which the specimen was included, had imprints of plant leaves, ostracods and fish teeth. Apparently the original quarries have been filled and lost.
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology: "limestone"
Includes fossils?Y
Environment:terrestrial indet.
Geology comments: The specimen is from a freshwater (probably marshy) limestone deposit
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:body
Size of fossils:macrofossils,mesofossils,microfossils
Collection methods and comments
Collection excludes:some macrofossils,some microfossils
Collection methods:selective quarrying,survey of museum collection
Reason for describing collection:taxonomic analysis
Collection method comments: Claude Bernard University collection
Taxonomic list comments:Early authors (such as Noulet 1877) noted the remains of abundant plant fragments, molluscs, birds, mammals, reptiles and fishes. It is interesting to note that both words, mammals and reptiles, are recorded in the plural state although only one reptile is known from the deposit. Many aquatic angiosperms were noted by de Saporta (1866). Two mammals have been recorded from the deposit: Anthracotherium hippoideum (Noulet Urn) and Pseudosciurus suevicum. (Lavocat 1955 ; Schmidt-Kittler 1971).
Metadata
Database number:117925
Authorizer:R. Benson Enterer:R. Benson
Modifier:R. Benson Research group:vertebrate
Created:2011-09-28 21:47:17 Last modified:2011-09-28 07:49:51
Access level:the public Released:2011-09-28 21:47:17
Creative Commons license:CC BY
Reference information

Primary reference:
37897. M. K. Hecht. 1992. A new choristodere (Reptilia, Diapsida) from the Oligocene of France: an example of the Lazarus effect. Geobios 25(1):115-131 [R. Benson/R. Benson]