Silveirinha Formation

Silveirinha Formation
Stratigraphic range: Ypresian
(MP7 or Neustrian)
~55.8–48.6 Ma

PreꞒ

Ꞓ

O

S

D

C

P

T

J

K

Pg

N
Silveirinha Formation; Stratigraphic range: Ypresian; (MP7 or Neustrian); ~55.8–48.6 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Geological formation
Sub-units	Rio Mondego Member
Underlies
Overlies
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone, siltstone
Other	Conglomerate
Location
Coordinates	40°00��N 8°48′W / 40.0°N 8.8°WCoordinates: 40°00′N 8°48′W / 40.0°N 8.8°W
Approximate paleocoordinates	35°36′N 10°00′W / 35.6°N 10.0°W
Region	Região Centro
Country	Portugal
Extent
Type section
Named for	Silveirinha clay pit
Named by	Autunes et al.
Location	Silveirinha clay pit
Year defined	1981
Coordinates	40°00′29.0″N 8°49′16.7″W / 40.008056°N 8.821306°W
Region	Coimbra District
	Silveirinha Formation (Portugal)

The Silveirinha Formation is an Early Eocene (Ypresian, or MP7 or Neustrian in the ELMA classification) geologic formation of the in the Região Centro of central-western Portugal. The sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates were deposited in an alluvial environment.^[1]

The formation has provided fossils of many mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, as well as mollusks and ostracods, and is considered one of the richest Early Eocene faunal assemblages of Europe. The taeniodont, typically known as a North American order; and the ostracod Cypris silveirinhaensis have been named after the formation.

Description[]

The Silveirinha Formation, named after the Silveirinha clay pit, crops out in the western part of the in the Região Centro of central-western Portugal.^[2] The formation comprises fossiliferous lenticular calcitic conglomerates as well as laminated and cross bedded sands and brownish-red silts.^[1]

The conglomerates are interpreted as crevasse-splay deposit in a alluvial plain environment, which eventually flooded and where bogs and possibly oxbows developed, crossed by channels depending on a river system that drained higher areas more north or eastwards.^[3]

Climate[]

The climate in the Early Eocene was substantially warmer than today.

Paleontological significance[]

The Silveirinha clay pit after which the formation is named was first discovered in 1977 by Rui Pena dos Reis of Coimbra University.^[4] The unit is one of few earliest Eocene fossiliferous formations that provided a rich amphibian and reptile fauna.^[5] Most fossils were deposited in the channels after short transportation. Vegetation should have been rich in nearby areas, supporting a rich fauna. Ostracods, gastropods, amphibians and pelomedusid chelonians indicate fresh waters, although rare bivalves show that salt or at least brackish waters were not very far away.^[3]

It is hypothesized that the species D. antunesi in the genus Diacodexis was more primitive than the earliest Wasatchian D. ilicis of North America, strongly supporting a Europe to America dispersal of this genus.^[6]

Fossil content[]

The formation has provided the following fossils:^[1]

Mammals[]

Primates

^[7]
Donrussellia lusitanica^[7]

Acreodi

Mondegodon eutrigonus^[8]

Artiodactyls

Diacodexis antunesi^[9]^[10]

Carnivora

Cimolesta

^[11]

"Condylartha"

Microhyus reisi^[12]^[13]

Ferae

Dormaalocyon latouri^[7]
cf. Viverravus sp.^[7]

Glires

^[14]
^[10]^[15]^[16]
^[10]

Hyaenodonta

^[7]

Insectivora

Perissodactyls

Taeniodonta

^[7]^[19]

Theriiformes

Birds[]

Charadriiformes
- Recurvirostridae
  - ^[22]^[23]
Ornithurae
- Neornithes indet.^[23]

Reptiles[]

Crocodiles

Diplocynodon sp.^[24]

Lizards

Snakes

^[29]
Boidae indet.^[27]

Turtles

^[30]

Amphibians[]

Pelobatidae indet.^[25]
Salamandridae indet.^[31]

Invertebrates[]

Mollusks

Ostracods

Cypris silveirinhaensis^[34]
Ilyocypris lusitanicus^[34]
?Cyclocypris sp.^[34]

References[]

^ ^a ^b ^c Silveirinha Formation at Fossilworks.org
^ De la Peña, 1995, p.30
^ ^a ^b Antunes, 2003, p.20
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Estravís, 2000, p.282
^ Rage & Augé, 2003, p.103
^ Godinot & De Lapparent, 2003, p.262
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p Estravís, 2000, p.283
^ Tabuce et al., 2011, p.146
^ Estravís & Russell, 1989
^ ^a ^b ^c Badiola et al., 2009, p.248
^ ^a ^b Estravís, 2000, p.284
^ Tabuce et al., 2006, p.41
^ Antunes et al., 1987
^ Escarguel, 1999, p.142
^ Escarguel, 1999, p.251
^ Estravís, 1994
^ Estravís, 1990
^ Estravís & Russell, 1992b
^ Estravís & Russell, 1992a, p.195
^ Tabuce et al., 2009
^ Estravís, 1996
^ Harrison, 1983
^ ^a ^b Antunes, 2003, p.7
^ Antunes, 2003, p.10
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Rage & Augé, 2003, p.105
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Rage & Augé, 2003, p.107
^ ^a ^b ^c Rage & Augé, 2003, p.108
^ ^a ^b ^c Rage & Augé, 2003, p.106
^ Rage & Augé, 2003, p.109
^ Lapparent de Broin, 2003, p.118
^ Rage & Augé, 2003, p.104
^ Callapez, 2003, p.84
^ ^a ^b ^c Callapez, 2003, p.85
^ ^a ^b ^c Colin & Antunes, 2003, p.92

Bibliography[]

Tabuce, Rodolphe; Julien Clavel, and Miguel Telles Antunes. 2011. A structural intermediate between triisodontids and mesonychians (Mammalia, Acreodi) from the earliest Eocene of Portugal. The Science of Nature 98. 145–155. Accessed 2020-09-06.
Tabuce, R.; M. T. Antunes, and B. Sige. 2009. A new primitive bat from the earliest Eocene of Europe. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29. 627–630.
Tabuce, Rodolphe; Miguel Telles Antunes; Richard Smith, and Thierry Smith. 2006. Dental and tarsal morphology of the European Paleocene/Eocene 'condylarth' mammal Microhyus. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 51. 37–52. Accessed 2020-09-06.
Antunes, M. T. 2003. Lower Paleogene crocodilians from Silveirinha, Portugal. 32. 1–26. Accessed 2020-09-06.
Callapez, Pedro. 2003. Upper Paleocene-Early Eocene mollusks of Silveirinha (Figueira da Foz, West Central Portugal). 15. 83–90.
Colin, Jean-Paul, and Miguel Telles Autunes. 2003. Limnic ostracoda from Silveirinha, Portugal (? Late Paleocene - Lowermost Eocene). 15. 91–100.
Rage, J. C., and M. Augé. 2003. Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the lower Eocene of Silveirinha (Portugal). 15. 103–116. Accessed 2020-09-06.
de Lapparent de Broin, F. 2003. Neochelys sp. (Chelonii, Erymnochelyinae), from Silveirinha, early Eocene, Portugal. 15. 117–132. Accessed 2020-09-06.
Godinot, Marc, and France de Lapparent de Broin. 2003. Arguments for a mammalian and reptilian dispersal from Asia to Europe during the Paleocene-Eocene boundary interval. 10. 255–275. Accessed 2020-09-06. ISSN 0923-9308
Estravís, C. 2000. Nuevos mamíferos del Eoceno Inferior de Silveirinha (Baixo Mondego, Portugal). 51. 281–311. Accessed 2020-09-06.
Escarguel, Gilles. 1999. Les rongeurs de l'Eocène inférieur et moyen d'Europe occidentale - Systématique, phylogénie, bio-chronologie et paléobiogéographie des niveaux-repères MP7 a MP14. 28. 89–351. Accessed 2020-09-06.
Estravís, C. 1996. Leptacodon nascimentoi n. sp., un nouveau Nyctitheriidae (Mammalia, Lipotyphla) de l'Eocène inférieur de Silveirinha (Baixo Mondego, Portugal). 25. 279–286.
De la Peña Zarzuelo, Antonio. 1995. Los Peces terciarios de las cuencas continentales ibéricas: Marco histórico y registro fosil conocido - Tertiary fishes from the Iberia continental basins: History and fossil record. 47. 25–46. Accessed 2020-09-06. ISSN 1132-1660
Estravís, C. 1994. Microparamys paisi, un nouvel Ischyromyidae (Rodentia) de l’Éocène inférieur de Silveirinha (Baixo Mondego, Portugal). Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences de Paris 318. 417–420.
Estravís, Carmen, and Donald E. Russell. 1992a. The presence of Taeniodonta (Mammalia) in the Early Eocene of Europe. 11. 191–201. Accessed 2020-09-06.
Estravís, Carmen, and Donald E. Russell. 1992b. Paschatherium marianae, un nouveau Condylarthra de Silveirinha, Éocène inferérieur du Portugal. Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Section C 14. 185–203.
Estravís, C. 1990. Russellmys denisae, un nouvel Apatémyidé (Mammalia) de Silveirinha, eocène inférieur du Portugal. Geobios 23. 761–765.
Estravís, C., and D. E. Russell. 1989. Decouverte d'un nouveau Diacodexis (Artiocactyla, Mammalia) dans l'Eocène inférieur de Silveirinha, Portugal. 19. 29–44.
Antunes, M.T.; C. Estravís, and D.E. Russell. 1987. A new condylarth (Mammalia) from the Early Eocene of Silveirinha, Portugal. A 10. 219–224.
Harrison, C. J. O. 1983. A new wader, Recurvirostridae (Charadriiformes), from the Early Eocene of Portugal. 7. 9–16.

[FW-1] Silveirinha Formation at Fossilworks.org

[DeLaPena1995-p30-2] De la Peña, 1995, p.30

[Antunes2003-p20-3] Antunes, 2003, p.20

[Estravis2000-p282-4] Estravís, 2000, p.282

[Rage2003-p103-5] Rage & Augé, 2003, p.103

[Godinot2003-p262-6] Godinot & De Lapparent, 2003, p.262

[Estravis2000-p283-7] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p Estravís, 2000, p.283

[Tabuce2011-p146-8] Tabuce et al., 2011, p.146

[Estravis1989-9] Estravís & Russell, 1989

[Badiola2009-p248-10] Badiola et al., 2009, p.248

[Estravis2000-p284-11] Estravís, 2000, p.284

[Tabuce2006-p41-12] Tabuce et al., 2006, p.41

[Antunes1987-13] Antunes et al., 1987

[Escarguel1999-p142-14] Escarguel, 1999, p.142

[Escarguel1999-p251-15] Escarguel, 1999, p.251

[Estravis1994-16] Estravís, 1994

[Estravis1990-17] Estravís, 1990

[Estravis1992b-18] Estravís & Russell, 1992b

[Estravis1992a-p195-19] Estravís & Russell, 1992a, p.195

[Tabuce2009-20] Tabuce et al., 2009

[Estravis1996-21] Estravís, 1996

[Harrison1983-22] Harrison, 1983

[Antunes2003-p7-23] Antunes, 2003, p.7

[Antunes2003-p10-24] Antunes, 2003, p.10

[Rage2003-p105-25] Rage & Augé, 2003, p.105

[Rage2003-p107-26] Rage & Augé, 2003, p.107

[Rage2003-p108-27] Rage & Augé, 2003, p.108

[Rage2003-p106-28] Rage & Augé, 2003, p.106

[Rage2003-p109-29] Rage & Augé, 2003, p.109

[Lapparent2003-p118-30] Lapparent de Broin, 2003, p.118

[Rage2003-p104-31] Rage & Augé, 2003, p.104

[Callapez2003-p84-32] Callapez, 2003, p.84

[Callapez2003-p85-33] Callapez, 2003, p.85

[Colin2003-p92-34] Colin & Antunes, 2003, p.92

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]