Villar del Arzobispo Formation

TypeGeological formation

UnderliesAguilar del Alfambra Formation

OverliesOolitic limestones of the Higuerueles Formation

ThicknessGreatly variable;108–1,383 m (354–4,537 ft)

Villar del Arzobispo Formation
Stratigraphic range: Kimmeridgian-early Berriasian? PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
An ornithopod trackway at the Las Cerradicas site, Villar del Arzobispo Formation. Photographed around 2013.[1]
Type	Geological formation
Underlies	Aguilar del Alfambra Formation
Overlies	Oolitic limestones of the Higuerueles Formation
Thickness	Greatly variable;108–1,383 m (354–4,537 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Mudstone
Other	Limestone, sandstone, conglomerate
Location
Coordinates	40°30′N 0°48′W / 40.5°N 0.8°W / 40.5; -0.8
Approximate paleocoordinates	31°24′N 8°36′E / 31.4°N 8.6°E / 31.4; 8.6
Region	Aragón, Teruel, Valencia
Country	Spain
Extent	Maestrazgo Basin
Type section
Named for	Villar del Arzobispo
Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Spain)

The Villar del Arzobispo Formation is a Late Jurassic to possibly Early Cretaceous geologic formation in eastern Spain. It is equivalent in age to the Lourinhã Formation of Portugal. It was originally thought to date from the Late Tithonian-Middle Berriasian, but more recent work suggests a Kimmeridigan-Late Tithonian, possibly dating to the Early Berriasian in some areas.^[2][3][4] The Villar del Arzobispo Formation's age in the area of Riodeva in Spain has been dated based on stratigraphic correlations as middle-upper Tithonian, approximately 145-141 million years old. In the area of Galve, the formation potentially dates into the earliest Cretaceous.^[2] Isotope dating gives the formation a Late Kimmeridgian date of 152.5-151 million years old.^[5]

Most of the unit consists of siliciclastic mudstone, however the lower portion of the formation is dominated by bioclastic, oolitic and peloidal limestone, while channelized sandstone and conglomerate is found in the middle portion of the unit. While the lower part of the formation was deposited in an inner carbonate platform, the upward gradation into mudstone in the middle and upper portions of the formation represents a change in depositional environment to paralic and alluvial plain conditions.^[3][6]

Dinosaur remains are found throughout the unit, but are more abundant and better preserved in the terrestrially deposited middle-upper sections. Remains of the stegosaurid Dacentrurus were recovered in the Barranco Conejero locality in this formation.^[7] Over the years, other stegosaurian remains have been discovered in this formation, but none have yet been referred to a specific genus.^[8] Turiasaurs and brachiosaurids are also known from the formation. The formation is also well known for its fossil footprints, representing many different taxa.