Acanthodians; Actinopterygians; Early seed plants; Fluvial facies; Namur-Dinant Basin (Belgium); Placoderms; Sarcopterygians; Geological mapping of Wallonia
Abstract :
[en] The Becco locality (Liège province), belongs to the Theux tectonic window and represents a proximal, probably fluvial, environment corresponding to a channel infill. We present here a preliminary report of the fossil assemblage discovered at the locality. The Becco site has yielded a diverse flora of early seed plants including Moresnetia zalesskyi, Dorinnotheca streeli and Condrusia sp. This assemblage, characteristic of the Belgian Famennian, highlights the diversity of early spermatophytes in the country. Becco has also delivered a rich vertebrate fauna with antiarch, groenlandaspid and phyllolepid placoderms, diplacanthiform acanthodians, as well as actinopterygians and various sarcopterygians. The fossiliferous assemblage of Becco resembles those of several Devonian tetrapod- bearing localities, including that of Strud in Belgium, and could therefore provide a favorable palaeoecological setting in the search for early tetrapods.
Research center :
Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles, Université de Liège, Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle (Paris), University of Queensland, Université de Lille, Uppsala University, Australian National University, IPANEMA
Disciplines :
Earth sciences & physical geography
Author, co-author :
Olive, Sébastien; Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS, Brussels) and Liège University (ULg) > O.D. Earth and History of Life (RBINS) and Geology Department (ULg) > Laboratory of Paleontology (RBINS) and Evolution and Diversity Dynamics Lab (ULg)
Denayer, Julien ; University of Liège (ULg, Belgium) and The University of Queensland (Australia) > Geology Department (ULg) and School of Earth Science (Univ. Queensland) > Evolution and Diversity Dynamics Lab (ULg)
Derycke, Claire; University of Lille 1 > Earth Sciences Department SN5
Dupret, Vincent; Uppsala University (Sweden) and The Australian National University > Dept.of Organismal Biology (Uppsala Univ.) and College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (A.N.U.) > Subdept. of Evolution and Development (Uppsala) and Research School of Physics and Engineering (A.N.U.)
Gerrienne, Philippe ; Université de Liège > Département de géologie > Paléobiogéologie - Paléobotanique - Paléopalynologie (PPP)
Gueriau, Pierre; Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (Paris, France) and IPANEMA, USR 3461 CNRS/MCC
Marion, Jean-Marc ; University of Liège (ULg, Belgium) > Geology Department > Evolution and Diversity Dynamics Lab - Geological mapping of Wallonia
Mottequin, Bernard; Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS, Brussels,Belgium) > O.D. Earth and History of Life > Laboratory of Paleontology
Prestiani, Cyrille; Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS, Brussels, Belgium) > O.D. Earth and History of Life > Laboratory of Paleontology
Language :
English
Title :
Flora and fauna from a new Famennian (Upper Devonian) locality at Becco, eastern Belgium
Alternative titles :
[fr] Flore et faune d'un nouveau gisement famennien (Dévonien supérieur) à Becco, est de la Belgique.
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