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Paleobiota of the London Clay

A list of prehistoric and extant species whose fossils have been found in the London Clay, which underlies large areas of southeast England.

Fossil seed capsules of the genus Euphorbia, found in London Clay

Plant fossils, especially seeds and fruits, are found in abundance and have been collected from the London Clay for almost 300 years.[1] Some 350 named species of plant have been found, making the London Clay flora one of the world's most diverse for fossil seeds and fruits.[2] The flora includes plant types found today in tropical forests of Asia and demonstrates the much warmer climate of the Eocene epoch, with plants such as Nypa (Nipah palms) and other palms being frequently encountered. The following plants list is incomplete and is based on the research by Marjorie Chandler.[1] and research works done by the paleobotanist Steven R. Manchester[3] and by professor of plant palaeobiology Margaret Collinson.[4]

Plants

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Pteridophytes

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Lycopodiophytes

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Gymnosperms

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  • Agathis sp. - similar to Agathis dammara
  • †Araucarites spp.
  • †Doliostrobus stenbergi - fossils in the past named †Araucarites are said to be of this genus, it is now placed in its own family, †Doliostrobaceae.

Angiosperms

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  • †Caryotispermum cantiense
  • Corypha sp.
  • Livistona minima
  • Nypa burtini (syn. Nipa burtini)
  • Oncosperma anglica
  • †Palmospermum bracknellense
  • †Palmospermum cooperi
  • †Palmospermum davisi
  • †Palmospermum elegans
  • †Palmospermum jenkinsi
  • †Palmospermum minutum
  • †Palmospermum ornatum
  • †Palmospermum ovale
  • †Palmospermum subglobulare
  • Sabal grandisperma
  • Serenoa sp.
  • ?Trachycarpus sp.
  • †Caricoidea obovata
  • †Polycarpella caespitosa
  • †Myristicacarpum chandlerae
  • Alphonsea sp.
  • †Anonaspermum anonijorme - related to the genera Anonna and Polyalthia, most similar species is Annona muricata
  • †Anonaspermum cerebellatum - Uvaria, Melodorum and Orophea shows closest resemblance to the fossil
  • †Anonaspermum commune
  • †Anonaspermum complanatum - related to Anonna and Melodorum
  • †Anonaspermum corrugatum - related to the genera Anonna and Melodorum
  • †Anonaspermum minimum - related to Dasymaschalon clusiflorum
  • †Anonaspermum obscurum
  • †Anonaspermum ovale - related to the genera Anonna and Melodorum
  • †Anonaspermum pulchrum - related to Dasymaschalon clusiflorum
  • †Anonaspermum punctatum - related to the genera Bocagea, Orophea, Unonopsis, and Guatteria
  • †Anonaspermum rotundatum - distantly related to Polyauhia
  • †Anonaspermum rugosum
  • †Anonaspermum subcompressum
  • Asimina sp. - similar to Asimina reticulata
  • Orophea sp.
  • Polyalthia sp.
  • Rollinia sp.
  • Uvaria sp.
  • †Crowella globosa
  • †Laurocalyx bowerbanki
  • †Laurocalyx dubius
  • †Laurocalyx fibrotorulosus
  • †Laurocalyx globularis
  • †Laurocalyx magnus
  • †Laurocarpum crassum
  • †Laurocarpum cupuliferum
  • †Laurocarpum davisi
  • †Laurocarpum inornatum
  • †Laurocarpum minimum
  • †Laurocarpum minutissimum
  • †Laurocarpum ovoideum
  • †Laurocarpum paradoxum
  • †Laurocarpum proteum
  • †Laurocarpum pyrocarpum
  • †Laurocarpum sheppeyense
  • †Protoaltingia europaea
  • †Protoravensara sheppeyensis
  • †Plataninium decipiens[5]
  • Fagaceae – beech, oak and chestnut family
  • †Quercinium pasanioides
  • Alnus richardsoni (syn. Petrophiloides richardsoni) – an alder
  • †Ferrignocarpus bivalvis
  • †Juglandicarya bognorensis
  • †Juglandicarya cooperi
  • †Juglandicarya depressa - the most common Juglandacarya species in the London Clay
  • †Juglandicarya lubbocki
  • †Juglandicarya minuta
  • †Petrophiloides richardsoni - among the two most abundant Juglandaceae species in the London Clay
  • †Pterocaryopsis bognorensis - related to the genus Pterocarya
  • †Haloragicarya sp.
  • †Bowerbankella tiliacoroidea
  • †Davisicarpum gibbosum
  • Diploclisia bognorensis
  • †Eohypserpa parsonsi
  • †Frintonia ornata
  • Hypserpa sp.
  • Jatrorrhiza sp.
  • †Menispermicarpum rariforme
  • †Menispermoxylon - close to the extant genus Tinomiscium
  • †Microtinomiscium foveolatum
  • †Palaeococculus lakensis
  • †Palaeosinomenium pulchrum
  • †Tinomiscoidea scaphiformis
  • Tinospora excavata
  • †Wardenia davisi
  • Symplocos curvata
  • Symplocos quadrilocularis
  • Symplocos trilocularis
  • Symplocos bognorensis
  • †Sapoticarpum rotundatum
  • †Sapoticarpum latum
  • †Sapoticarpum duhium
  • †Sapotispermum sheppeyense - allied to Chrysophyllum and Sideroxylon
  • †Hightea elliptica
  • †Hightea turgida
  • †Myrtospermum variabile
  • †Palaeorhodomyrtus subangulata - allied to Rhodomyrtus
  • Ceriops sp.
  • †Palaeobruguiera elongata
  • †Palaeobruguiera lata
  • Oncoba variabilis
  • †Oncobella sp.
  • † Saxifragispermum spinosissimum
  • †Decaplatyspermum bowerbanki
  • †Wetherellia variahilis - related to Hugonia
  • Erythropalum europaeum - Only one extant species of this genus which is a scandent shrubs or liana
  • Erythropalum jenkinsi
  • Erythropalum turbinatum
  • Olax depressa
  • Allamanda sp.
  • †Ochrosella ovalis
  • †Ochrosoidea sheppeyensis
  • Boswellia sp.
  • †Bursericarpum aldwickense
  • †Bursericarpum bognorense
  • †Bursericarpum ovale
  • †Bursericarpum venablesi
  • †Palaeobursera bognorensis
  • †Protocommiphora europaea
  • Choerospondias sheppeyensis
  • Dracontomelon minimum
  • Dracontomelon subglobosum
  • Lannea europaea
  • Lannea jenkinsi
  • †Lobaticarpum variabile
  • Mangifera sp. - mango
  • Odina europaea
  • Odina jenkinsi
  • Odina subreniformis
  • Poupartia sp.
  • †Pseudosclerocarya subalata
  • †Spondiaecarpon operculatum - according to several botanists, the pyritized specimens, originally described as Spondiaecarpon operculatum, represent locule casts of Torricellia sp.
  • †Xylocarya sp.
  • †Cranmeria trilocularis
  • †Minsterocarpum alatum - closely related to the crape myrtle or crepe myrtle genus Lagerstroemia
  • †Pachyspermum quinqueloculare
  • †Tamesicarpum polyspermum
  • †Cantitilia polysperma
  • †Echinocarpus sheppeyensis
  • †Urticicarpum scutellum
  • Aleurites sp.
  • Croton sp.
  • Euphorbia sp. – similar to Euphorbia cotinifolia
  • †Euphorbiospermum bognorense
  • †Euphorbiospermum cooperi
  • †Euphorbiospermum eocenicum
  • †Euphorbiospermum obliquum
  • †Euphorbiospermum subglobulare
  • †Euphorbiospermum subovoideum
  • †Euphorbiospermum venablesi
  • †Euphorbiotheca minima
  • †Euphorbiotheca sheppeyensis
  • †Lagenoidea bilocularis
  • †Lagenoidea trilocularis
  • †Cucurbitospermum cooperi
  • †Cucurbitospermum equiaelaterale
  • †Cucurbitospermum sheppeyense
  • †Cucurbitospermum triangulare
  • Atalaya sp. – similar to Atalaya variifolia from Australia
  • †Cupanoides grandis - related to Cupania
  • †Cupanoides tumidus - related to Cupania
  • †Palaeallophylus minimus
  • †Palaeallophyllus ovoideus
  • †Palaeallophylus rotundatus
  • †Palaealectryon spirale
  • †Sapindospermum cooperi
  • †Sapindospermum davisi
  • †Sapindospermum grande
  • †Sapindospermum jenkinsi
  • †Sapindospermum ovoideum
  • †Sapindospermum revolutum
  • †Sapindospermum subovatum
  • Toechima sp.
  • †Canticarya gracilis
  • †Canticarya ovalis
  • †Canticarya sheppeyensis
  • †Canticarya ventricosa
  • †Caxtonia elongata
  • †Caxtonia glandulosa
  • †Caxtonia rutacaeformis
  • †Citrispermum sheppeyense
  • †Clausenispermum dubium
  • †Eozanthoxylon glandulosum
  • Euodia costata
  • †Rutaspermum bognorense
  • †Rutaspermum minimum
  • †Shrubsolea jenkinsi
  • †Zanthoxylon compression
  • †Zanthoxylon bognorense
  • †Canticarpum celastroides
  • Catha sp. – most similar to Catha edulis (Khat)
  • †Cathispermum pulchrum
  • †Celastrinoxylon ramunculiformis
  • †Beckettia mastixioides
  • Cornus ettingshausenii
  • †Dunstania ettinghauseni
  • †Dunstania multilocularis
  • †Langtonia bisulcata
  • †Lanfrancia subglobosa
  • Mastixia cantiensis
  • Mastixia grandis
  • Mastixia parva
  • †Portnallia bognorensis
  • †Portnallia sheppeyensis
  • Nyssa bilocularis
  • Nyssa cooperi
  • †Palaeonyssa multilocularis
  • Curtisiaceae
  • †Faboidea crassicutis
  • †Icacinicarya amygadaloidea
  • †Icacinicarya bartonensis
  • †Icacinicarya becktonensis
  • †Icacinicarya bognorensis
  • †Icacinicarya echinata
  • †Icacinicarya elegans
  • †Icacinicarya emarginata
  • †Icacinicarya forbesii
  • †Icacinicarya foveolata
  • †Icacinicarya glabra
  • †Icacinicarya inornata
  • †Icacinicarya jenkinsi
  • †Icacinicarya minima
  • †Icacinicarya mucronata
  • †Icacinicarya nodulifera
  • †Icacinicarya ovalis
  • †Icacinicarya ovoidea
  • †Icacinicarya platycarpa
  • †Icacinicarya pygmaea
  • †Icacinicarya reticulata
  • †Icacinicarya rotundata
  • †Icacinicarya transversalis
  • Iodes acutiform
  • Iodes bilinica
  • Iodes corniculata
  • Iodes davisii
  • Iodes eocenica
  • Iodes multireticulata
  • Mappia sp.
  • Miquelia sp.
  • Natsiatum eocenicum
  • †Palaeophytocrene ambigua
  • †Palaeophytocrene foveolata
  • †Perforatocarpum echinatum
  • †Sphaeriodes ventricosa
  • †Stizocarya communis

Animals

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Animal fossils include bivalves, gastropods, nautilus, worm tubes, brittle stars and starfish, crabs, lobsters, fish (including shark and ray teeth), reptiles (particularly turtles), and a large diversity of birds. A few mammal remains have also been recorded. Preservation varies; articulated skeletons are generally rare. Of fish, isolated teeth are very frequent. Bird bones are not infrequently encountered compared to other lagerstätten, but usually occur as single bones and are often broken.

The following fauna species list follows Clouter (2007).[6]

Vertebrates

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Mammals

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Birds

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Reptiles

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Crocodylians

Snakes

Turtles and tortoises

 
Turtle fossils from Sheppey

Bony fish

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Cartilaginous fish

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Crustaceans

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Exuvia of Hoploparia

Molluscs

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Cephalopods

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Bivalves

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Anomiidae

Astartidae

Gastropods

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Tusk shells

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Echinoderms

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Ophiura wetherelli from the London Clay of Bognor Regis

Annelids

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Cnidarians

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Other invertebrates

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Ichnofossils

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Notes

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  1. ^ Includes "Primobucco" olsoni
  2. ^ Sometimes placed in Aprionodon
  3. ^ Sometimes placed in Physodon
  4. ^ Sometimes placed in Rhinoptera
  5. ^ Sometimes called Hypotodus robustus
  6. ^ Sometimes called Eugomphodus macrotus
  7. ^ Sometimes placed in Acanthius
  8. ^ Sometimes placed in Xendolamia
  9. ^ Sometimes called Necrozius bowerbanki
  10. ^ Sometimes placed in Eutrephoceras
  11. ^ Sometimes called Modiolus depressus
  12. ^ Sometimes placed in Striarca
  13. ^ Sometimes placed in Cyprina
  14. ^ Sometimes called A. rugatus
  15. ^ Sometimes called Pitaria tenuistriata
  16. ^ Sometimes placed in Ledina
  17. ^ Sometimes called Amussium corneum
  18. ^ Sometimes placed in Protocardium
  19. ^ Sometimes placed in Pteria
  20. ^ Sometimes placed in Ostrea
  21. ^ Sometimes considered a variety of Scala undosa
  22. ^ Sometimes called A. sowerbyii
  23. ^ Sometimes placed in Tibia
  24. ^ Sometimes in Hemipleurotoma
  25. ^ Sometimes placed in Conospirus
  26. ^ Sometimes in Hemipleurotoma
  27. ^ Sometimes in Hemipleurotoma
  28. ^ Sometimes in Hemipleurotoma
  29. ^ Sometimes S. bifaci or S. bifacsi
  30. ^ Sometimes included in T. teretrium
  31. ^ Sometimes included in T. teretrium
  32. ^ Sometimes placed in Galeodea
  33. ^ Sometimes called Newtoniella charlsworthi
  34. ^ Sometimes called Solarium pulchrum
  35. ^ Sometimes placed in Natica
  36. ^ Sometimes called Fusinus unicarinatus
  37. ^ Sometimes placed in Bartonia
  38. ^ Sometimes called Euthriofusus complanatus
  39. ^ Sometimes called Euthriofusus transversarius
  40. ^ Sometimes placed in Ficus
  41. ^ Sometimes called Murex argillaceus
  42. ^ Sometimes called T. tenuiplica[citation needed]
  43. ^ Sometimes placed in Aurinia
  44. ^ Sometimes placed in Calyptraea
  45. ^ Sometimes placed in Adeorbis
  46. ^ Sometimes called Onutusus extensa
  47. ^ Sometimes placed in Asteropecten
  48. ^ Sometimes placed in Rhizochrinus

References

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  1. ^ a b Chandler, M.E.J. 1961. The lower Tertiary floras of southern England I. Palaeocene floras, London Clay flora. London: British Museum (Natural History).
  2. ^ Collinson, M. (1983). Fossil plants of the London Clay. The Palaeontological Association.
  3. ^ "Steven R Manchester - Publications". ResearchGate.
  4. ^ "Margaret Collinson - Publications - Research - Royal Holloway, University of London". pure.royalholloway.ac.uk.
  5. ^ Poole, I., K.L. Davies and H.P. Wilkinson 2002. A review of the platanaceous woods from the Eocene paratropical rainforest of southeast England. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 139: 181–191.
  6. ^ Clouter, Fred (June 29, 2007). "London Clay Species List". Retrieved June 16, 2008.
  7. ^ Alexandre F. Bannikov & James C. Tyler (1995). "Phylogenetic revision of the fish families Luvaridae and †Kushlukiidae (Acanthuroidei), with a new genus and two new species of Eocene luvarids" (PDF). Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology. 81 (81): 1–45. doi:10.5479/si.00810266.81.1.
  8. ^ Davesne, D.; Andrews, J. V.; Beckett, H. T.; Giles, S.; Friedman, M. (2024). "Three-dimensional anatomy of the early Eocene Whitephippus (Teleostei, Lampriformes) documents parallel conquests of the pelagic environment by multiple teleost lineages". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 43 (3). e2284998. doi:10.1080/02724634.2023.2284998.
  9. ^ W. J Quayle (1987). "English Eocene Crustacea (lobsters and stomatopod)" (PDF). Palaeontology. 30 (3): 581–612. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-09.
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