Speeton Clay Formation
Early Cretaceous geological formation in Yorkshire, England
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The Speeton Clay Formation (SpC)[1] is a Lower Cretaceous geological formation in Yorkshire, northern England. Unlike the contemporaneous terrestrial Wealden Group to the south, the Speeton Clay was deposited in marine conditions. The most common fossils in the unit are belemnites, followed by ammonites and the lobster Meyeria ornata. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus.[2]
| Speeton Clay Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Berriasian-Albian | |
Speeton Clay Formation at Reighton Sands, North Yorkshire | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Cromer Knoll Group |
| Sub-units | Members A to D |
| Underlies | Hunstanton Formation |
| Overlies | Kimmeridge Clay Formation |
| Thickness | 100 m (330 ft) in outcrop |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Claystone |
| Other | Glauconite |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 54.2°N 0.2°W |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 41.0°S 9.3°E |
| Region | Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Extent | North Sea Graben, eastern England |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Speeton |
  Location of the formation | |
The formation is named after the village of Speeton in North Yorkshire.
Fossil content
The following fossils have been reported from the formation:[3]
- Reptiles
- Ichthyosaurs
- Neornithischians
- Sauropterygians
- Elasmosauridae - "Speeton Clay plesiosaurian"[8]
- Fish
- Cretorectolobus doylei[9]
- "Dasyatis" speetonensis[9]
- "Protosqualus. sp"
- Notidanodon lanceolatus[9]
- Notorhynchus aptiensis[9]
- Synechodus dubrisiensis[9]
- Spathobatis rugosus[9]
- ?Sphenodus sp.[9]
- "Elops" neocomiensis[9]
- Pycnodontidae indet.[9]
- Semionotidae indet.[9]
- Teleostei indet.[9]
- ?Triakidae indet.[9]
- Invertebrates
- Crustaceans
- Martillepas auriculum[10]
- Crinoids
- Crustaceans