Fur Formation - Fossils

Fossils

Fossils of great diversity and unique preservation (only 10 my. after the ‘great extinction’ of dinosaurs, ammonites etc.) Most unusual, if not unique, diversity of life from both ocean and land with extremely good preservation of details rarely seen, therefore very reliable reconstruction of palaeobiology. By far most of the important ‘Danekræ’ fossils since 1990 have been found in the ‘Mo-clay area’.

Birds

The earliest Tertiary fauna of any diversity, over 30 species, some near complete and preserved in 3-D some excellent bird-fossils, even with feathers and chromatine. Most are earliest known representatives of their ‘orders’, and all are terrestrial birds.

• Bird fossil with preserved feathers from Fur, at the Geological Museum, Copenhagen

• Bird skeleton at Fur Museum, Denmark

Reptiles

Turtles and snakes: Large leatherback (Eosphargis), near complete, earliest of family; a 10 cm, complete chelonid has soft tissue and some horn plates preserved.

• Leatherbask turtle Eosphargis skull cast, at Geological Museum in Copenhagen.

• Snake Palaeophis in Early Eocene Stolleklint Clay, Fur Formation

Fishes

Large teleostean fauna, oceanic, possibly including earliest truly deep water fish, a ‘whale-fish’; earliest members of many living families and Tertiary diversity preserved as complete skeletons; some rare and sensational large and complete specimens (two ‘bony tongues’, one tarpon.

• The most common species of fish in the Fur Formation.

• Antigonia - Small Eocene fish from the Fur Formation, Denmark.

• Polymixiid - Early Eocene fish from the Fur Formation, Denmark.

• Unidentified Fish from the Fur Formation at Fur Museum, Denmark

• Palaeocentrotus

Insects

Huge fauna from land, over 200 species, earliest Tertiary diversity known, many are oldest of their families; many with colour spots and eye lenses, some extraordinary preservation with stridulation (sound) apparatus in grasshoppers, and apparently migratory moth mass mortality.

• Earwig

• Unidentified Scorpion fly (Mecoptera) Early Eocene Fur Formation at Fur Museum, Denmark

• Parasitic wasp

• Ypresiomyrma rebekkae holotype, in Stolleklint Clay, Early Eocene Fur Formation

Crustacea

Extraordinary cirripeds (barnacles), and the only fossil shrimps from Denmark.

• Shrimp Penaeus hamleti in Early Eocene Stolleklint Clay, Fur Formation.

• Crab Portofuria enigmatica in Early Eocene Stolleklint Clay, Fur Formation

• Shrimp Morscrangon acutus

Molluscs

Nucula sp., Mytilus roesnaesiensis, Mytilus sp., Gari sp.

• Mussel at Geological Museum in Copenhagen

Land plants

Some members of the ‘Arcto-Tertiary flora’; some with cuticle preservation and some flowers preserved. Large silicified trunks (up to 9 m) of redwood, and some very soft wood preserved. Some trunks with mussels and barnacles attached. Many seeds and fruits.

• Leaf from Ash? Early Eocene Fur Formation, Denmark.

• Leaf from ???

• Seeds of the Katsura tree Jenkinsella sp.

• Fosselised flower. Early Eocene Fur Formation, Denmark.

Diatoms

Great diversity of unicellular, marine algae with siliceous (opal) tests, 130 species.