(Late) Cretaceous fossils from the Netherlands (Limburg)

[Fossilsforever]

Hello all,

 

Found a couple of very nice Cretaceous fossils in Limburg (in water). 

Age: 72-68 mya/73-68 mya (late late Campanian - early Maastrichtian) and/or around 68 mya (if we only focus on de 'Kalksteen van Vijlen' from the Gulpen Formation). One source says 72.1 (± 0.6) million years ago (late Campanian). Thus 72.1 (± 0.6) million years ago till 68 mya (Kalksteen van Vijlen). One source states that the Vijlen 5 Member (boreholes in Gulpen and Crapoel) have a age of around 69.8-69.3 mya. So its possible that the fossils are also of this age. 

 

During this time, Limburg was covered by a shallow sea (a Cretaceous sea). This sea also covered Germany and most parts of Europe. 

The climate must have been warm and/or tropic and the animals were sometimes similar like the ones in the Western Interior Seayway, but different! (I believe no Xiphactinus etc.). Large Mosasaurs were also present (like Mosasaurus hoffmannii (Mantell, 1829). 

 

The following fossils are shown: 

-Echinocorys scutata (Leske, 1778). A near complete one and one complete plus two fragments;

-Belemnites (rostra). Species: Belemnitella sp. and Belemnella (Pachybelemnella) obtusa (Schulz, 1979). 

 

More information:

https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krijtzee

https://www.dinoloket.nl/en/stratigraphic-nomenclature/gulpen-formation

[hemipristis]

Do you find any of the larger oysters that are common in US East Coast sediments of this age? e.g., Exogyra, sp., Pycnodonte sp., or Gryphaea sp.?

[FossilDAWG]

Are those echinoids preserved in flint?  I'm glad it's still possible to find some decent fossils in your area, it's such a classic area for the Late Cretaceous.

 

Don

[Fossilsforever]

@hemipristis: Oysters are not that common, but I do find some. Mostly Pycnodonte vesicularis (Lamarck, 1806). I found a gigantic one some time ago.

The other species do not occur.

 

@FossilDAWG: the echinoids are preserved in flint (molds/casts/imprints etc.). Yeah, those fossils are really cool. Echinocorys sp. (for the most part E. scutata (Leske, 1778) is the most common species I have in my collection. 

Edited September 28, 2021 by Fossilsforever

[Fossilsforever]

Some days ago, I went searching for Cretaceous fossils. Another trip to find some decent fossils from the Cretaceous bassin/sea of NW Europe. 

 

The south of the Netherlands were once (72-66 mya or 73-66 mya) a sea or marine environment (Cretaceous basin) were many animals lived.

Just like the Western Interior Seaway in the USA, but different (with different species etc.). 

For example: no Belemnitella americana (Morton, 1830) but Belemnitella junior (Nowak, 1913) and Belemnella (Pachybelemnella) obtusa (Schulz, 1979) and many other species. 

No Tylosaurus, but Mosasaurus hoffmannii (Mantell, 1829) and other species. And no Xiphactinus (Xiphactinus audax (Leidy, 1870) but Enchodus and sharks like Squalicorax and Pseudocorax. There was land nearby (nearshore) and a channel system (eroded in an otherwise fairly flat, nearshore area). 

 

Results: I found another Echinocorys specimen (again E. scutata (Leske, 1778). And a few belemnites belonging to Belemnella and/or Belemnella (Pachybelemnella) and (possibly) Belemnitella sp. At the locations were I search, specimens of Belemnitella are not very common (less then 5% of the Belemnite assemblages). 

Thats because the Cretaceous layers/sediments (Gulpen Formation, Kalksteen van Beutenaken en Kalksteen van Vijlen) are roughly between 71 (70.8) and 69 or 68 million years old (with one or two million years more or less: 72-68 mya). Belemnitella junior (Nowak, 1913) do occur, but are much more common in the Late Maastrichtien (I search in late late Campanian (Earliest Late Campanian)- early (Late) Maastrichtian layers). 

 

See also (read): https://ncs.naturalsciences.be/cretaceous/gulpen-formation-gul    

A map of Europe during the Cretaceous: https://external-preview.redd.it/BYoXxC3nFkfNHg5CwIZ1UW0dumMAlRzpi-fU_74O8Rc.jpg?auto=webp&s=40c156974db6eed3076b789ae0b87ceed71b0302

A map of Europe during the Cretaceous: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Late-Cretaceous-palaeogeography-of-Central-Europe-modified-after-Vejbaek-et-al-2010_fig1_273333057

Edited September 28, 2021 by Fossilsforever

[Jasperfossils]

On 9/19/2021 at 11:18 PM, FossilDAWG said:

Are those echinoids preserved in flint?  I'm glad it's still possible to find some decent fossils in your area, it's such a classic area for the Late Cretaceous.

 

Don

The Possibility of finding fossils in The Netherlands is decreasing. All the maastrichtian quarries are closed. All but one (two times in a year accessible if you are a member of a group) carboniferous localities are closed. Sites like Mill are also gone now. I have heard that it is also harder to get in the gravel quarries. Only the beaches and the gravel quarry Markelo are accessible (maybe some other gravel quarries as well.)  and a few places in south limuburg as this one for people who are not a member of a certain group. I myself live in North Holland where fossils are hard to find. So consider youself blessed with the places where you live.