Benton, M.J. & Spencer, P.S. 1995. Fossil Reptiles of Great Britain. Geological Conservation Review Series No. 10, JNCC, Peterborough, ISBN 0 412 62040 5. The original source material for these web pages has been made available by the JNCC under the Open Government Licence 3.0. Full details in the JNCC Open Data Policy

Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) of England

Reptiles have been recorded from 60 sites in the Kimmeridge Clay between Dorset and Yorkshire (listed above). The faunas are dominated by marine forms (plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, and marine crocodiles; see (Figure 7.5) and (Figure 7.8), but some localities (e.g. Weymouth) have also yielded significant remains of terrestrial reptiles, including important dinosaurs and turtles. Kimmeridge Bay, the type locality for the Kimmeridgian Stage, has produced the largest fauna, which includes the type specimens of six species. The five GCR localities (Figure 5.1), at Smallmouth Sands, Weymouth ([SY 669 764]–[SY 672 771]), Roswell Pits, Ely ([TL 555 808]–[TL 551 805], Chawley ([SP 475 043]), Gaulter Gap–Broad Bench, Kimmeridge Bay [SY 91 79] and Encombe Bay ([SY 937 773]–[SY 955 771]), provide good coverage of rocks of Early to Late Kimmeridgian age, and cover the best known fossil reptile localities.

References

(Figure 7.5) Kimmeridgian reptiles from Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset. (A) The elongate slender snout of the marine crocodile Steneosaurus megarhinus (Hulke, 1871) in ventral view; (B) lower jaw of Colymbosaurus trochanterius (Owen, 1840) in crown view; (C) skeleton of the ichthyosaur Nannopterygius (Ichthyosaurus) enthekiodon (Hulke, 1871). (A) after Hulke (1871b); (B) after Owen (1861); (C) after Hulke (1871a).

(Figure 7.8) Some typical marine reptiles of Late Jurassic times in southern England. (A) The pliosaur Liopleurodon, one of the largest marine predators of all time at 12 m long. (B) The ichthyosaur Ophthalmosaurus, which was 2–4 m long. (C) The plesiosauroid Ctyptoclidus, which was 4 m long. These animals occur typically in the Oxford Clay and Kimmeridge Clay faunas. Drawn by John G. Martin, copyright City of Bristol Museums and Art Gallery.

(Figure 5.1) Map showing the distribution of Jurassic (Lower, Middle and Upper) rocks in Great Britain. GCR Jurassic reptile sites: (1) Lyme Regis; (2) Whitby; (3) Loftus; (4) Eigg; (5) New Park Quarry; (6) Stonesfield; (7) Huntsman's Quarry; (8) Shipton-on-Cherwell Quarry; (9) Kirtlington Old Cement Works; (10) Furzy Cliff, Overcombe; (11) Smallmouth Sands; (12) Kimmeridge Bay; (13) Encombe Bay; (14) Chawley Brickpits; (15) Roswell Pits, Ely; (16) Isle of Portland; (17) Bugle Pit, Hartwell; (18) Durlston Bay.