The Taynton Limestone is a geological formation in Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom. It dates to the Middle Jurassic, mid-Bathonian stage. It predominantly consists of ooidal grainstone. The term "Stonesfield Slate" refers to slaty limestone horizons within the formation that during the 18th and 19th centuries were extensively quarried for use in roof tiling within the vicinity of Stonesfield, Oxfordshire. Previously these were thought to belong to the Sharp's Hill Formation, but boreholes and shaft sections suggest that at least three horizons within the Taynton Limestone were quarried for the slate. These horizons are well known for producing a diverse set of fossils including those of plants, insects as well as vertebrates, including some of the earliest known mammals, pterosaurs as well as those of first dinosaur ever described, Megalosaurus.

Vertebrate fauna

Sauropsids

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon MorphotaxonNotes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
TaxonReclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonymIchnotaxonOotaxonMorphotaxon
Sauropsids of the Stonesfield Slate
TaxaSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
IliosuchusI. incognitusTwo iliaA theropod dinosaur. Not distingusiable from Megalosaurus
MegalosaurusM. bucklandiiIsolated remains including several dentaries, maxillas and postcranial bones from multiple individualsA megalosaurid theropod dinosaur, also present in the Chipping Norton and Sharp's Hill Formations
KlobiodonK. rocheiPartial dentary with teethA rhamphorhynchid pterosaur
ProtochelysP. blakiiIsolated epidermal scales, coracoid, plastron fragmentNomen dubium, Testudinata indet
TeleosaurusT. geoffroyiAn indeterminate Teleosaurid. Probably the same animal as Teleosaurus cadomensis.
MonofenestrataIndeterminateVertebrae
RhamphorhynchidaeIndeterminateVarious isolated remains

Mammaliamorphs

Mammaliamorphs of the Stonesfield Slate
TaxaSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
AmphilestesA. broderipiiTwo left mandibles and right mandibleStonesfield Slate quarriesAmphilestid
AmphitheriumA. prevostiiPartial left mandible and a right mandibleAmphitheriidae
A. rixoniRight dentary
StereognathusS. ooliticusTeethTritylodontid
PhascolotheriumP. bucklandiiRight mandible and left ramusAmphilestid

Fish

Fish of the Stonesfield Slate
TaxaSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
BreviacanthusBreviacanthus brevisStonesfield Slate quarries
GanodusSpp.Chimaeriformes
IschyodusIschyodus emarginatus
AspidorhynchusAspidorhynchus crassus
PholidophorusIndeterminate
LeptolepisLeptolepis disjectus
PycnodusIndeterminate
MesodonMesodon tenuidens
MicrodonMicrodon biserialis
LepidotusLepidotus tuberculatus
MacrosemiusMacrosemius sp.
UndinaUndina? barroviensisA coelacanth
FerganoceratodusFerganoceratodus phillipsiA lungfish
EgertonodusEgertonodus duffiniA hybodont shark
Palaeocarcharias?IndeterminatePossibly the oldest lamniform shark

Invertebrate fauna

Invertebrates of the Stonesfield Slate
TaxaSpeciesPresenceMaterialNotesImages
BlapsiumB. egertoniStonesfield SlateNHM, In. 34379, a ventral compression missing the headAn ommatine beetle
PalaeontinaP. ooliticaForewingType species of Palaeontinidae
PheugothemisP. westwoodiDamsel-dragonfly of uncertain placement, while historically described as a member of Gomphidae, Huang et al. 2019 state that it "can[not] be accurately attributed to the Gomphidae, or even the Gomphida."

Flora

The flora known from the Stonesfield Slate comprises a relatively diverse flora, with 25 morphospecies present. It primarily represents a coastal environment, perhaps seasonally dry with mangrove like environments. It is a noticeably different assemblage than the Yorkshire floras of equivalent age, possibly because the latter is thought to represent a deltaic, wetland environment.

Flora of the Stonesfield Slate
TaxaSpeciesMaterialLocationNotesImages
cf. DictyophyllumIndeterminateFern, Member of Dipteridaceae
PhlebopterisP. woodwardiiFern, Member of Matoniaceae
cf. ConiopterisIndeterminateFern, Member of Dicksoniaceae
SagenopterisS. colpodesMember of Caytoniales
Ctenozamitescf. leckenbyiMember of Peltaspermales
PachypterisP. macrophyllaA "Pteridosperm", likely either a member of Peltaspermales or Corystospermales
KomlopterisK. speciosaMember of Corystospermales
CtenisC. cf. sulcicaulis, spCycad
PtilophyllumP. pectiniformis, P. cf hirsutumMember of Bennettitales
SphenozamitesS. belliiMember of Bennettitales
?WeltrichiaIndeterminateMember of Bennettitales
TaeniopterisT. vittataMember of Bennettitales
BucklandiaB. bucklandiiMember of Bennettitales formerly Conites bucklandii
GinkgoG. aff longifoliusMember of Ginkgoales
BrachyphyllumB. expansumMember of Pinales
ElatocladusE. cf. laxusMember of Pinales
MasculostrobusIndeterminateMember of Pinales
ClassostrobusIndeterminateCheirolepidiaceae
AraucaritesA. brodeiAraucariaceae
PelourdeaA conifer of uncertain affinities
CarpolithesCarpolithes diospyriformis, Carpolithes sp.Plantae indet
Phyllitessp.Morphotaxon for leaves of uncertain affinities

See also