Mammal Bed, Durlston Bay (DB83): Middle Berriasian, United Kingdom
collected by mainly S. H. Beckles 1800

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Mammalia
Mammalia indet. Linnaeus 1758
Simpson 1928 3 specimens
BMNH 48250, M13126 (femora); 48361 (left humerus)
Mammalia - Multituberculata - Allodontidae
Plagiaulax minor n. sp. Falconer 1857
Owen 1871 1 specimen
recombined as Ctenacodon minor
BMNH 47729 (holotype right mandible)
Mammalia - Multituberculata - Plagiaulacidae
Plagiaulax becklesii n. gen., n. sp. Falconer 1857
Owen 1871 1 specimen
BMNH 47731 (holotype right mandible), 47732, 47733, 47734
Plagiaulax medius n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
synonym of Plagiaulax becklesii
BMNH 47728 (holotype left mandible)
Plioprion minor n. sp. Falconer 1857
Simpson 1928 1 specimen
recombined as Bolodon minor
Bolodon crassidens n. gen., n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
BMNH 47735, holotype maxilla + premaxilla
Bolodon elongatus n. sp. Simpson 1928
Simpson 1928 1 specimen
BMNH 47736, holotype partial skull
Plagiaulax falconeri n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
recombined as Bolodon falconeri
BMNH 47730 (holotype right mandible)
Bolodon osborni n. sp. Simpson 1928
Simpson 1928 1 specimen
BMNH 47735a, holotype partial right maxilla
Mammalia - Spalacotheriidae
Spalacotherium tricuspidens Owen 1854
Owen 1871 5 specimens
BMNH 47748, 47749a, 47749b, 47750, M5633; Sedgwick Museum J11378 (fragment of right dentary)
Peralestes longirostris n. gen., n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
synonym of Spalacotherium tricuspidens
BMNH 47740, holotype maxilla; Sedwick Museum J11379 (skull fragment)
Mammalia - Peramura - Peramuridae
Peramus minor n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
BMNH 47754, holotype left mandible
Leptocladus dubius n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
recombined as Peramus dubius
BMNH 47739, holotype left mandible
Peramus tenuirostris n. gen., n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 2 specimens
BMNH 47742, 48404; originally, 47744 was also refereed here, but Davis (2012) made it the type of Peramuroides tenuiscus (see below)
Spalacotherium minus n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
recombined as Kouriogenys minor
BMNH 47751, holotype left mandible
Peramuroides tenuiscus n. gen., n. sp. Davis 2012
Davis 2012 2 specimens
Holotype partial mandible (BMNH M47744); BMNH M47799, a right dentary fragment preserving the angular process, an alveolus for the p5 and broken crowns of the m1–m3.
Mammalia
Durlstodon ensomi n. gen., n. sp. Sweetman et al. 2017
Sweetman et al. 2017 1 specimen
Durlstotherium newmani n. gen., n. sp. Sweetman et al. 2017
Sweetman et al. 2017 1 specimen
Mammalia - Pantotheria
Pantotheria indet. Marsh 1880
Owen 1871 6 specimens
BMNH 47769, 47792, 48208A, 48406, M13133, M13130
? Pantotheria indet. Marsh 1880
Owen 1871 3 specimens
BMNH 47737, 47798, M13128
Mammalia - Dryolestidae
Dryolestidae indet. Marsh 1879
Owen 1871 7 specimens
BMNH 47770, 47795, 47803, 48244, 48401, 48405, M13132, M13131
Peraspalax talpoides n. gen., n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
BMNH 47738, holotype left mandible
Amblotherium sp. Owen 1871
Simpson 1928 2 specimens
BMNH 47800, 48369
Stylodon pusillus n. gen., n. sp. Owen 1866
Owen 1871 9 specimens
recombined as Amblotherium pusillum
BMNH M5632, 47756, 47757, 47743, 47746, 47783, 47759, 47761, 47787, 47802, M10927
Kurtodon pusillus n. gen., n. sp. (Owen 1866)
Simpson 1928 2 specimens
recombined as Amblotherium pusillum
BMNH 47755, holotype left maxilla; 48402 (right maxilla)
Achyrodon pusillus n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
synonym of Amblotherium pusillum
BMNH 47747, holotype left mandible
Stylodon robustus n. sp. Owen 1866
Owen 1871 1 specimen
synonym of Amblotherium pusillum
BMNH 47762, holotype left mandible
Achyrodon nanus n. gen., n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 6 specimens
recombined as Amblotherium nanum
BMNH 47745, 47758, 47760, 47785, 47786, 48403
Amblotherium soricinum n. gen., n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
BMNH 47752, holotype right mandible
Amblotherium mustelula n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 2 specimens
recombined as Phascolestes mustelula
BMNH 47753 (holotype, right mandible), 47808
Phascolestes longirostris Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
synonym of Phascolestes mustelula
BMNH 47741, holotype left mandible
Mammalia - Eutriconodonta - Triconodontidae
Trioracodon oweni n. sp. Simpson 1928
Simpson 1928 1 specimen
BMNH 47766, holotype mandible
Triconodon ferox n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 17 specimens
recombined as Trioracodon ferox
BMNH 47775, 47765, 47772, 47773, 47774, 47774a, 47776, 47777, 47778, 47779, 47780, 47781, 47788, 47791, 48397, 48404a, M10474; Sedgwick Museum J13141 (fragment of right dentary)
Triconodon occisor n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
synonym of Trioracodon ferox
BMNH 47782, holotype left mandible
Triconodontinae indet. Hay 1902
Simpson 1928 2 specimens
BMNH 47797 (partial left maxilla), 47807 (anterior premolar)
Triconodon mordax n. gen., n. sp. Owen 1859
Owen 1859 12 specimens
BMNH 47764, 47763, 47767, 47768, 47784, 47789, 47790, 47793a, 47794, 47796, 47806, 48395, 48396, M79, M3705
Triconodon minor n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
synonym of Triconodon mordax
BMNH 47771, holotype mandible
Triacanthodon serrula n. gen., n. sp. Owen 1871
Owen 1871 1 specimen
synonym of Triconodon mordax
BMNH 47763, holotype fragmentary skull
Docodonta - Docodontidae
Peraiocynodon inexpectatus n. gen., n. sp. Simpson 1928
Simpson 1928 1 specimen
BMNH 48248, holotype left mandible
Reptilia - Compsemydidae
Tongemys enigmatica n. gen., n. sp. Joyce et al. 2022
Joyce et al. 2022 1 specimen
NHMUK PV OR 48262/48265, a near complete shell preserved on two separately catalogued slabs
Reptilia - Pleurosternidae
Pleurosternon bullockii (Owen 1842)
Lydekker 1889 19 specimens
BMNH 48262 (partial juvenile shell), 48263, 48353, 48354, 48347, 48343, 48346, 48263c, 48263a, 48263e, 48344m 48351, 48252, 48252a (juvenile shells collected from Beckle's 'Mammal Pit' according to Milner (2004)); BMNH 48364 (right humerus), 48268 (right humerus), 48267 (left humerus), 48266 (left femur), 48369 (left femur), 48269 (phalanges)
Reptilia - Paramacellodidae
Macellodus brodiei Owen 1854
Hoffstetter 1967 35 individuals
BMNH R8182 (neotype dentary); plus remains of 35 individuals, includes 22 dentaries and 8 maxilla
    = Becklesius hoffstetteri Seiffert 1975
Estes 1983
"Becklesius includes most of the material referred by Hoffstetter (1967) to Macellodus brodiei, which... is now known to be a crocodilian" (Estes 1983, p. 116)
    = Becklesius sp. Estes 1983
Evans and Searle 2002
"Estes referred the Purbeck material to the same species. However, Seiffert's illustrations of the Guimarota teeth suggest differences in the degree of posterior expansion...uncertainty is recognised by referred in teeth to Becklesius sp." (Evans & Searle 2002)
Paramacellodus oweni n. gen., n. sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Hoffstetter 1967
Becklesisaurus scincoides n. gen., n. sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Hoffstetter 1967 1 specimen
synonym of Paramacellodus oweni
BMNH R8082 (holotype)
Saurillus robustidens n. sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Hoffstetter 1967 2 specimens
BMNH R8130 (holotype dentary), R8086 (maxilla)
Reptilia
Durotrigia triconidens n. gen., n. sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Hoffstetter 1967 1 specimen
BMNH R8122 (holotype)
Parviraptor estesi n. gen., n. sp. Evans 1994
Evans 1994 1 specimen
BMNH R48388 (partial skull)
Pseudosaurillus becklesi n. gen., n. sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Hoffstetter 1967 27 individuals
Includes BMNH R8095 (holotype dentary and postcrania), 18 dentaries and 6 maxillae)
Reptilia - Dorsetisauridae
Dorsetisaurus hebetidens n. sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Hoffstetter 1967 1 specimen
BMNH R8109 (holotype maxilla)
Dorsetisaurus purbeckensis n. gen., n. sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Hoffstetter 1967 32 individuals
Includes BMNH R8129 (holotype), 15 dentaries and 10 maxilla
Reptilia
Saurillus obtusus Owen 1855
Hoffstetter 1967 57 individuals
Includes 44 dentaries and 8 maxillae and neotype left mandible (BMNH R8135)
    = Pseudosaurillus sp. Hoffstetter 1967
Estes 1983
    = Parasaurillus pseudobtusus n. gen., n. sp. Evans and Searle 2002
Evans and Searle 2002
Reptilia - Goniopholididae
Macellodus brodiei n. gen., n. sp. Owen 1854
Estes 1983 1 specimen
nomen dubium belonging to Goniopholis
lost holotype maxilla
Reptilia - Theropoda
Theropoda indet. Marsh 1881
Milner 2002 1 specimen
CAMSM J 13956
Reptilia
Paraves indet. Sereno 1997
Evans 1994 1 specimen
Isolated tooth on BMNH R48388 block
Reptilia - Dromaeosauridae
Nuthetes destructor Owen 1854
Milner 2002 1 specimen
CAMSM J 13951
Reptilia - Rhynchocephalia
Rhynchocephalia indet. Günther 1867
Evans and Searle 2002
see common names

Geography
Country:United Kingdom State/province:England County:Dorset
Coordinates: 50.6° North, 2.0° West (view map)
Paleocoordinates:41.5° North, 7.8° East
Basis of coordinate:based on nearby landmark
Geographic resolution:small collection
Time
Period:Cretaceous Epoch:Early/Lower Cretaceous
Stage:Berriasian 10 m.y. bin:Cretaceous 1
Key time interval:Middle Berriasian
Age range of interval:145.00000 - 140.20000 m.y. ago
Stratigraphy
Geological group:Purbeck Formation:Lulworth Member:Worbarrow Tout
Local section:Durlston Bay Local bed:DB83
Local order:bottom to top
Stratigraphic resolution:bed
Stratigraphy comments: Marly Freshwater Mbr. now = top of Worbarrow Tout Mbr.
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology: not reported
Environment:marine indet.
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:body
Size of fossils:macrofossils,mesofossils
Disassociated major elements:some
Fragmentation:occasional
Collection methods and comments
Collection methods:survey of museum collection
Reason for describing collection:taxonomic analysis
Museum repositories:BMNH
Collectors:mainly S. H. Beckles Collection dates:1800s
Collection method comments: Also mammal remains in the Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge, England
Metadata
Also known as:Durdlestone Bay
Database number:72142
Authorizer:M. Carrano, M. Uhen, R. Benson, E. Vlachos Enterer:M. Carrano, M. Uhen, R. Benson, E. Vlachos
Modifier:M. Carrano Research group:vertebrate
Created:2007-05-25 12:51:07 Last modified:2013-06-24 17:03:50
Access level:the public Released:2007-05-25 12:51:07
Creative Commons license:CC BY
Reference information

Primary reference:

38668. R. F. Damon. 1884. Handbook to the Geology of Weymouth, Portland, and Coast of Dorsetshire, from Swanage to Bridport-on-the-Sea, with Natural History of and Archaeological Notes. New and Enlarged Edition. Edward Stanford, London 1-250 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]

Secondary references:

31205ETE R. B. J. Benson and P. M. Barrett. 2009. Dinosaurs of Dorset: part I, the carnivorous dinosaurs (Saurischia, Theropoda). Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 130:133-147 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
45919 W. A. Clemens. 1963. Late Jurassic mammalian fossils in the Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge. Palaeontology 6(2):373-377 [P. Mannion/J. Tennant]
42299 B. M. Davis. 2012. Micro-computed tomography reveals a diversity of peramuran mammals from the Purbeck Group (Berriasian) of England. Palaeontology 55(4):789-817 [R. Benson/R. Benson]
47078 J. B. Delair. 1958. The Mesozoic reptiles of Dorset. Part one. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 79:47-72 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
14549 R. Estes. 1983. Sauria terrestria, Amphisbaenia. Handbuch der Paläoherpetologie 10A:1-249 [J. Head/J. Head/R. Benson]
37904 S. E. Evans. 1994. A new anguimorph lizard from the Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of England. Palaeontology 37(1):33-49 [R. Benson/R. Benson]
34139ETE S. E. Evans and B. Searle. 2002. Lepidosaurian reptiles from the Purbeck Limestone Group of Dorset, southern England. In A. R. Milner, D. J. Batten (eds.), Life and Environments in Purbeck Times. Special Papers in Palaeontology 68:145-149 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
39389 G. Hahn. 1971. The dentition of the Paulchoffatiidae (Multituberculata, Upper Jurassic). Memoria, Servicos Geologicos de Portugal 17:1-39 [R. Benson/R. Benson]
38135 R. Hoffstetter. 1967. Coup d'oeil sur les Sauriens (lacertiliens) des couches de Purbeck (Jurassique supérieur d'Angleterre Résumé d'un Mémoire). Colloques Internationaux du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 163:349-371 [R. Benson/R. Benson]
82460 W. G. Joyce, J. R. Bourque, V. Fernandez and Y. Rollot. 2022. An alternative interpretation of small-bodied turtles from the “Middle Purbeck” of England as a new species of compsemydid turtle. Fossil Record 25(2):263-274 [E. Vlachos/E. Vlachos]
41531 R. Lydekker. 1889. Catalogue of the Fossil Reptilia and Amphibia in the British Museum (Natural History) Part III. The Order Chelonia 1-239 [R. Benson/R. Benson/M. Uhen]
24418ETE A. C. Milner. 2002. Theropod dinosaurs of the Purbeck Limestone Group, southern England. In A. R. Milner & D. J. Batten (eds.), Life and Environments in Purbeck Times. Special Papers in Palaeontology 68:191-201 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano]
41526 A. R. Milner. 2004. The turtles of the Purbeck Limestone Group of Dorset, southern England. Palaeontology 47(6):1441-1467 [R. Benson/R. Benson]
16226 R. Owen. 1859. Palaeontology. The Encyclopaedia Brittanica, or Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General Literature (8th Edition) 17:91-176 [P. Wagner/P. Wagner/M. Carrano]
29873 R. Owen. 1871. Monograph of the fossil Mammalia of the Mesozoic formations. 24(110):vi-115 [R. Butler/R. Butler/M. Carrano]
38748 G. G. Simpson. 1928. A Catalogue of the Mesozoic Mammalia in the Geological Department of the British Museum 1-215 [R. Benson/R. Benson/M. Uhen]
63767 S. C. Sweetman, G. Smith, and D. M. Martill. 2017. Highly derived eutherian mammals from the earliest Cretaceous of southern Britain. Acata Paleontologica Polonica 62(4):657-665 [M. Uhen/M. Uhen/P. Mannion]