About this book
Gives a general outline of the classification and evolution of fishes from early Palaeozoic times to the present. It describes in detail the GCR sites in Britain from which important fish fossils have been obtained. Also describes the origins of the earliest tetrapods and their amphibian descendants. Britain has a rich heritage of fossil fishes, from the Silurian period to the Recent and the number of localities from which this heritage has been generated runs into the hundreds, with many being no longer in existence or accessible. Almost a hundred, however, have been included in this survey as potential or actual Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), and may yield more such fossils. In reviewing these sites, it presents evidence of the ecology and environments of these ancient communities or individuals.
Contents
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Access to the countryside
Preface
Museum abbreviations
1 British fossil fish and amphibian sites
Introduction
Amphibians
The geological background
Palaeontology
Classification
Fishes of the Palaeozoic Era
Fishes of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic
Taphonomy
Palaeoecology
Biostratigraphy
History of research
Palaeontological conservation
The choice and distribution of the GCR sites
Sites of British fossil amphibians
2 Silurian fossil fish sites of Scotland
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Fish sites
Comparison with the faunas of other regions
Birk Knowes
Dunside
Shiel Burn
Dippal Burn
Slot Burn
Birkenhead Burn
The Toutties
Ardmore--Gallanach
3 Late Silurian fossil fish sites of the Welsh Borders
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Fish sites
Cwar Glas
Church Hill Quarry
Ludford Lane and Ludford Corner
Ledbury Cutting
Temeside, Ludlow
Tite's Point (Purton Passage)
Lydney
Downton Castle area: Downton Castle Bridge, Tin Mill Race,
Forge
Rough Weir and Castle Bridge Mill
Bradnor Hill Quarry
4 Early Devonian fossil fish sites of the Welsh Borders
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Fish sites
Devil's Hole
Oak Dingle, Tugford
Cwm Mill
Wayne Herbert Quarry
Besom Farm Quarry
Hoel Senni Quarry
5 Early Devonian fossil fish sites of Scotland
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Fish sites
Tillywhandland Quarry
Aberlemno Quarry
Wolf's Hole Quarry
Whitehouse Den
6 Mid-Devonian fossil fish sites of Scotland
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Fish sites
Westerdale Quarry
Achanarras Quarry
Cruaday Quarry
Black Park, Edderton
Den of Findon, Gamrie
Tynet Burn, Elgin
Melby
Papa Stour
Dipple Brae
Spittal Quarry
Banniskirk Quarry
Holborn Head Quarry
Weydale Quarry
Pennyland
John o'Groats, Caithness
The Cletts, Exnaboe
Sumburgh Head
7 Mid- and Late Devonian fossil fish sites of England and
Wales
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Fish sites
Bedruthan Steps
Mill Rock
Portishead
Prescott Corner
Afon y Waen
Comparison with other regions
8 Late Devonian fossil fish sites of Scotland
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Fish sites
Oxendean Burn
Hawk's Heugh
Boghole, Muckle Burn
Scaat Craig
Comparison with other regions
9 British Carboniferous fossil fish sites
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Fish sites
Foulden
Wardie
Glencartholm
Cheese Bay
Inchkeith
Ardross Castle
Abden
Steeplehouse Quarry
Bearsden
10 British Permian fossil fish sites
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Fish sites
Middridge
Amphibian faunas and sites
11 British Triassic fossil fish sites
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish and amphibian faunas
Mid-Triassic of central and southern England
Sidmouth
Late Triassic of central and South-West England
Aust Cliff
Vertebrate-bearing fissure deposits of South-West England
12 British Jurassic fossil fish sites
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Early Jurassic or Lias
Fish sites
Lyme Regis coast (Pinhay Bay--Charmouth)
Blockley Station Quarry
Whitby coast (East Pier--Whitestone Point)
Mid-Jurassic or Dogger
Fish and tetrapod sites
Stonesfield
Kirtlington Old Cement Works Quarry
Watton Cliff
Late Jurassic or Malm
Fish and amphibian sites
Kimmeridge Bay (Gaulter Gap--Broad Bench)
Durlston Bay
13 British Cretaceous fossil fish sites
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Early Cretaceous: Wealden Group (Berriasian--Barremian)
Fish sites
Hastings
Brook--Atherfield
Early ("Mid-') Cretaceous (Aptian--Albian)
Fish sites
East Wear Bay
Late Cretaceous: the Chalk
Fish sites
Blue Bell Hill Pits
Totternhoe (Chalk Quarry)
Southerham Grey Pit
Southerham (Machine Bottom Pit)
Southerham (Lime Kiln Quarries)
Boxford Chalk Pit
14 British Cenozoic fossil fish sites
Introduction: palaeogeography and stratigraphy
Environments
Fish faunas
Pre-London Clay Tertiaries of the London Basin
Fish sites
Pegwell Bay
Herne Bay
Upnor
Abbey Wood
London Clay Formation
Fish sites
Bognor Regis
Maylandsea
Sheppey
Burnham-on-Crouch
Late Palaeogene of the Hampshire Basin
Fish sites
Bracklesham Bay
Lee-on-Solent
Barton Cliff
Hordle Cliff
King's Quay
15 Sites for British stem Tetrapoda and Amphibia
Introduction
Classification and evolution
Stem tetrapods and amphibians in the British palaeontological
record
East Kirkton, Bathgate
Headon Hill, Isle of Wight
References
Glossary
Index
Customer Reviews
