| Monte Fallano Plattenkalk | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Bajocian-Bathonian ~ | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Apennine carbonate platform |
| Thickness | 3.5 m (11 ft) (exposed) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Fine and thinly laminated limestones |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 41°11′04″N 14°16′26″E / 41.18444°N 14.27389°E / 41.18444; 14.27389 |
| Region | Campania |
| Country | Italy |
| Extent | Monte Fallano area |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Monte Fallano |
| Named by | Bravi & Casertano |
| Year defined | 1999 |
Monte Fallano Plattenkalk (Italy) | |
The Monte Fallano Plattenkalk (Also known as Calcari Oolitici et Oncolitici1) is a geological formation in Italy, dating to roughly between 171 and 165 million years ago, and covering the Bajocian-Bathonian stages of the Middle Jurassic Period in southern Italy. It represents a Fossillagerstätte preserving a diverse assemblage of fossils.2
Description
The Monte Fallano Plattenkalk was first reported in 1999. It consists of fine-grained, thinly laminated limestone typical of Plattenkalk deposits, exposed in a 3.5-meter-thick section.2 The formation is part of the Apennine carbonate platform succession, which accumulated in shallow marine environments during the Jurassic.3
The lithology reflects deposition in shallow water carbonate platform settings, with sedimentological features indicating calm conditions suitable for the preservation of delicate fossils.3 Biostratigraphic analyses, based on molluscs and other fossils such as Foraminifera, confirm a Middle Jurassic age, specifically spanning the Bajocian to Bathonian stages.2 A post Lower Bajocian flooding if the region supports more this age assignation.4
Depositional environment
The depositional environment of the Monte Fallano Plattenkalk is interpreted as a shallow Carbonate platform, likely in a protected lagoonal or restricted marine setting. The fine lamination and excellent fossil preservation suggest low-energy conditions with minimal disturbance, allowing for the accumulation of organic remains from both marine and nearby terrestrial sources. Taphonomic evidence from plant fossils indicates parautochthonous deposition, with material transported short distances from adjacent land areas. The presence of both juvenile and adult decapod crustaceans supports the idea that some species were native to this environment.2
Due to the low thickness, this formation records a stable biotope, as the floral composition shows little variation throughout the section. Sedimentological data, combined with the characteristics of the decapod crustaceans and fishes, point to depositional processes in shallow marine waters, possibly influenced by nearby emergent lands contributing terrigenous material.2
Biota
Foranimifera
| Taxa | Species | Material | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mesoendothyra2 | croatica | Tests | Mesoendothyridae. |
| Nautiloculina2 | oolithica | Tests | Nautiloculinidae. |
| Pfenderella2 | arabica | Tests | Pfenderininae. |
| Protopeneroplis2 | striata | Tests | Ventrolaminidae |
| Pseudocyclammina2 | sp. | Tests | Hauraniidae. |
| Siphovalvulina2 | sp. | Tests | Pseudopfenderininae. |
| Spiroloculina2 | sp. | Tests | Spiroloculinidae. |
| Trocholina2 | sp. | Tests | Involutinidae. |
| Valvulina2 | lugeoni | Tests | Valvulinidae. |
Invertebrates
| Taxa | Species | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acanthochirana2 | liburiaensis | Specimens | Aegeridae |  |
| Archaeoniscus5 | italiensis | Specimens | Sphaeromatidea |  |
| Casertanus2 | sabellicus | Specimens | Sergestidae | |
| Eryma2 | osciensis | Specimens | Erymidae | |
| Favreina2 | isp. | Coprolites | Decapod Coprolites (Axiidea?) | |
| Niveotanais5 | brunnensis | Specimens | Tanaidacea | |
| Palaega5 | furcillanatis | Specimens | Cirolanidae | |
| Sphaeroma5 | montefallanoense | Specimens | Sphaeromatidae |  |
| Tethyseryon2 | campanicus | Specimens | Eryonidae |
Vertebrates
Indeterminate material includes primitive teleosts and indeterminate "ganoid" fishes.2
| Taxa | Species | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leptolepis2 | spp. | Specimens | Leptolepidae |  |
| Notagogus2 | (Neonotagogus) denticulatus | Specimens | Macrosemiidae |  |
| Pleuropholis2 | sp. | Specimens | Pleuropholidae |  |
| Pycnodontidae2 | Indeterminate | Complete Specimen | Pycnodontid fish |
Flora
Unidentified flora includes Leaves with parallel venation; long wide and long narrow parallel veined leaves or leaflets, axes & wood fragments.2
| Taxa | Species | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Araucarites26 | sp. | Woody scales of conifer | Araucariaceae |  |
| Brachyphyllum26 | sp. | branched and unbranched leafy shoots | Araucariaceae or Hirmeriellaceae |  |
| Cayeuxia2 | Imprints | Cyanobacteria | ||
| Cupressinocladus26 | sp. | Twigs with decussate leaves | Araucariaceae, Hirmeriellaceae or Cupressaceae | |
| Sellinoporella2 | donzellii | Imprints | Dasycladaceae | |
| Thaumatoporella2 | parvovesiculifera | Imprints | Thaumatoporellales |
References
References
- "431 Caserta Est". www.isprambiente.gov.it. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- Bravi, Sergio; Garassino, Alessandro; Bartiromo, Antonello; Audo, Denis; Charbonnier, Sylvain; Schweigert, Günter; Thévenard, Frédéric; Longobardi, Cristiano (2014-04-01). "Middle Jurassic Monte Fallano Plattenkalk (Campania, southern Italy): first report on terrestrial plants, decapod crustaceans and fishes". Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen. 272 (1): 79–107. Bibcode:2014NJGPA.272...79B. doi:10.1127/0077-7749/2014/0398. ISSN 0077-7749.
- Bernoulli, Daniel (2001), "Mesozoic-Tertiary carbonate platforms, slopes and basins of the external Apennines and Sicily", in Vai, Gian Battista; Martini, I. Peter (eds.), Anatomy of an Orogen: the Apennines and Adjacent Mediterranean Basins, Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, pp. 307–325, doi:10.1007/978-94-015-9829-3_18, ISBN 978-94-015-9829-3, retrieved 2025-10-04
- Capotorti, Franco; Muraro, Cristina (2021-10-15). "Post-rift extensional tectonics at the edge of a carbonate platform: insights from the Middle Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Monte Giano stratigraphic record (central Apennines, Italy)". Geologica Acta. 19. doi:10.1344/geologicaacta2021.19.12. ISSN 1696-5728.
- Jones, Wade T.; Feldmann, Rodney M.; Garassino, Alessandro (2014-11-04). "Three new isopod species and a new occurrence of the tanaidacean Niveotanais brunnensis Polz, 2005 from the Jurassic Plattenkalk beds of Monte Fallano, Italy". Journal of Crustacean Biology. 34 (6): 739–753. Bibcode:2014JCBio..34..739F. doi:10.1163/1937240x-00002282. ISSN 0278-0372.
- Kustatscher, E.; Roghi, G.; Giusberti, L. (2014). "La flora del Giurassico dell'italia settentrionale The Jurassic flora of northern Italy. La storia delle piante fossili in Italia". Palaeobotany of Italy. 5: 154–165.