An exceptional window into the Triassic-Jurassic boundary on the margins of the Ardenno-Rhenish Massif: stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Irrel section (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany)
Abstract The Triassic-Jurassic (T/J) boundary witnessed one of the five major mass extinctions during the Phanerozoic, paving the way towards the evolution of modern ecosystems. However, the study of biotic change during this interval is hampered by the scarcity of outcrops exposing the T/J-boundary...
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SpringerOpen
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-025-00384-3 |
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| author | Lea D. Numberger-Thuy Manuela Aiglstorfer Dominique Delsate Susanne Feist-Burkhardt Stefan Gräbenstein Philipe Havlik Sylvie Régnier Thomas Servais Ben Thuy |
| author_facet | Lea D. Numberger-Thuy Manuela Aiglstorfer Dominique Delsate Susanne Feist-Burkhardt Stefan Gräbenstein Philipe Havlik Sylvie Régnier Thomas Servais Ben Thuy |
| author_sort | Lea D. Numberger-Thuy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Triassic-Jurassic (T/J) boundary witnessed one of the five major mass extinctions during the Phanerozoic, paving the way towards the evolution of modern ecosystems. However, the study of biotic change during this interval is hampered by the scarcity of outcrops exposing the T/J-boundary without major interruptions or abrupt facies change. Here, we present a previously undocumented succession of Rhaetian (Upper Triassic) to Hettangian (Lower Jurassic) strata, exposed on two sections along the banks of the river Prüm near the town of Irrel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The new succession holds an unusual palaeogeographic position squeezed between the Rhenish and London Brabant (including the Ardennes) massifs, thus filling a gap in the T/J-boundary record of the Central European Basin. It includes some unusual facies such as a thick and highly fossiliferous, conglomeratic bonebed close to the top of the middle Rhaetian and bituminous black claystones in the middle Hettangian. Finally, it stands out in yielding well preserved fossils of taxa that are rare or undocumented in the region. We provide a comprehensive account of the lithostratigraphy of the new succession and assess its biostratigraphic framework using ammonite, ostracod and palynomorph occurrences. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c4e031acbcf1472a926ce6b24aaba03f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-2376 1664-2384 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |
| spelling | doaj-art-c4e031acbcf1472a926ce6b24aaba03f2025-08-20T03:37:41ZengSpringerOpenSwiss Journal of Palaeontology1664-23761664-23842025-07-01144111810.1186/s13358-025-00384-3An exceptional window into the Triassic-Jurassic boundary on the margins of the Ardenno-Rhenish Massif: stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Irrel section (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany)Lea D. Numberger-Thuy0Manuela Aiglstorfer1Dominique Delsate2Susanne Feist-Burkhardt3Stefan GräbensteinPhilipe Havlik4Sylvie Régnier5Thomas Servais6Ben Thuy7Dinosaurierpark TeufelsschluchtNaturhistorisches Museum Mainz, Landessammlung Für Naturkunde Rheinland-PfalzMusée National d’histoire Naturelle LuxembourgSFB Geological Consulting & ServicesWelterbe Grube MesselUniv. Lille, CNRSCNRS, Univ. LilleMusée National d’histoire Naturelle LuxembourgAbstract The Triassic-Jurassic (T/J) boundary witnessed one of the five major mass extinctions during the Phanerozoic, paving the way towards the evolution of modern ecosystems. However, the study of biotic change during this interval is hampered by the scarcity of outcrops exposing the T/J-boundary without major interruptions or abrupt facies change. Here, we present a previously undocumented succession of Rhaetian (Upper Triassic) to Hettangian (Lower Jurassic) strata, exposed on two sections along the banks of the river Prüm near the town of Irrel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The new succession holds an unusual palaeogeographic position squeezed between the Rhenish and London Brabant (including the Ardennes) massifs, thus filling a gap in the T/J-boundary record of the Central European Basin. It includes some unusual facies such as a thick and highly fossiliferous, conglomeratic bonebed close to the top of the middle Rhaetian and bituminous black claystones in the middle Hettangian. Finally, it stands out in yielding well preserved fossils of taxa that are rare or undocumented in the region. We provide a comprehensive account of the lithostratigraphy of the new succession and assess its biostratigraphic framework using ammonite, ostracod and palynomorph occurrences.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-025-00384-3HettangianRhaetianBonebedAmmonitesPalynomorphsOstracods |
| spellingShingle | Lea D. Numberger-Thuy Manuela Aiglstorfer Dominique Delsate Susanne Feist-Burkhardt Stefan Gräbenstein Philipe Havlik Sylvie Régnier Thomas Servais Ben Thuy An exceptional window into the Triassic-Jurassic boundary on the margins of the Ardenno-Rhenish Massif: stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Irrel section (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) Swiss Journal of Palaeontology Hettangian Rhaetian Bonebed Ammonites Palynomorphs Ostracods |
| title | An exceptional window into the Triassic-Jurassic boundary on the margins of the Ardenno-Rhenish Massif: stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Irrel section (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) |
| title_full | An exceptional window into the Triassic-Jurassic boundary on the margins of the Ardenno-Rhenish Massif: stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Irrel section (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) |
| title_fullStr | An exceptional window into the Triassic-Jurassic boundary on the margins of the Ardenno-Rhenish Massif: stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Irrel section (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) |
| title_full_unstemmed | An exceptional window into the Triassic-Jurassic boundary on the margins of the Ardenno-Rhenish Massif: stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Irrel section (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) |
| title_short | An exceptional window into the Triassic-Jurassic boundary on the margins of the Ardenno-Rhenish Massif: stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Irrel section (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) |
| title_sort | exceptional window into the triassic jurassic boundary on the margins of the ardenno rhenish massif stratigraphy and palaeontology of the irrel section rhineland palatinate germany |
| topic | Hettangian Rhaetian Bonebed Ammonites Palynomorphs Ostracods |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-025-00384-3 |
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