Callovian

In the geologic timescale, the Callovian is an age and stage in the Middle Jurassic, lasting between 166.1 ± 4.0 Ma (million years ago) and 163.5 ± 4.0 Ma. It is the last stage of the Middle Jurassic, following the Bathonian and preceding the Oxfordian.[1]

Callovian
166.1 ± 1.2 – 163.5 ± 1.0 Ma
Chronology
Key events in the Jurassic
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how to approximate the timescale of key Jurassic events.
Vertical axis: millions of years ago.
Etymology
Name formalityFormal
Usage information
Celestial bodyEarth
Regional usageGlobal (ICS)
Time scale(s) usedICS Time Scale
Definition
Chronological unitAge
Stratigraphic unitStage
Time span formalityFormal
Lower boundary definitionNot formally defined
Lower boundary definition candidatesFAD of the Ammonite genus Kepplerites
Lower boundary GSSP candidate section(s)
Upper boundary definitionNot formally defined
Upper boundary definition candidatesHorizon of Ammonite Cardioceras redcliffense.
Upper boundary GSSP candidate section(s)

Stratigraphic definitions

The Callovian stage was first described by French palaeontologist Alcide d'Orbigny in 1852. Its name derives from the latinized name for Kellaways Bridge, a small hamlet 3 km north-east of Chippenham, Wiltshire, England.

The base of the Callovian is defined as the place in the stratigraphic column where the ammonite genus Kepplerites first appears, which is the base of the biozone of Macrocephalites herveyi. A global reference profile (a GSSP) for the base had in 2009 not yet been assigned.

The top of the Callovian (the base of the Oxfordian) is at the first appearance of ammonite species Brightia thuouxensis.

Subdivision

Matmor Formation (Callovian, Peltoceras athleta Zone) in Makhtesh Gadol, Israel.

The Callovian is often subdivided into three substages (or subages): Lower/Early, Middle and Upper/Late Callovian. In the Tethys domain, the Callovian encompasses six ammonite biozones:

Palaeogeography

Callovian rocks of the Osgodby Formation[2] at Cayton Bay in North Yorkshire, England

During the Callovian, Europe was an archipelago of a dozen or so large islands. Between them were extensive areas of continental shelf. Consequently, there are shallow marine Callovian deposits in Russia and from Belarus, through Poland and Germany, into France and eastern Spain and much of England. Around the former island coasts are frequently, land-derived sediments. These are to be found, for example, in western Scotland.[3]

The Louann Salt and the southern Campeche Salt of the Gulf of Mexico are thought to have formed by an embayment of the Pacific Ocean across modern-day Mexico.[4]

Palaeontology

Amphibians

Amphibians of the Oxfordian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
China; Mongolia; Russia Gobiops desertus was a brachyopid temnospondyl.

Ankylosaurians

Ankylosauria of the Callovian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images

Sarcolestes

Oxford Clay Formation

a basal ankylosaurian known from a partial mandible

Crocodylomorphs

Crocodylomorphs of the Callovian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
Charitomenosuchus
  • Charitomenosuchus leedsi
Callovian Oxford Clay Formation of England A machimosaurid thalattosuchian.
Life restoration of a Thalattosuchus superciliosus.
Gracilineustes
  • Gracilineustes leedsi
Callovian to Kimmeridgian Spain A small metriorhynchid thalattosuchian in the subfamily Metriorhynchinae.
Ieldraan
  • Ieldraan melkshanensis
Callovian to Kimmeridgian Oxford Clay Formation of England A metriorhynchid thalattosuchian in the subfamily Geosaurinae.
Junggarsuchus
  • Junggarsuchus sloani
Callovian China The sphenosuchian Junggarsuchus was a small, ~1 meter long, predator.
Lemmysuchus
  • Lemmysuchus obtusidens
Callovian Oxford Clay Formation of England, and France A machimosaurid thalattosuchian in the tribe Machimosaurini.
Maledictosuchus
  • Maledictosuchus riclaensis
Callovian to Kimmeridgian Spain A small metriorhynchid thalattosuchian in the subfamily Metriorhynchinae.
Mycterosuchus
  • Mycterosuchus nasutus
Callovian Oxford Clay Formation of England A teleosaurid thalattosuchian in the subfamily Aeolodontinae.
Neosteneosaurus
  • Neosteneosaurus edwardsi
Callovian Oxford Clay Formation of England, and France A machimosaurid thalattosuchian in the subfamily Machimosaurinae.
Proexochokefalos
  • Proexochokefalos heberti
Callovian to Kimmeridgian Oxford Clay Formation of England, and France A machimosaurid thalattosuchian in the subfamily Machimosaurinae.
Steneosaurus
  • Steneosaurus rostromajor
late Callovian or early Oxfordian France A dubious taxon of teleosauroid thalattosuchian. The genus has been used as a wastebasket taxon for thalattosuchian fossils for over two centuries, and almost all known historical species of teleosauroid have been included within it at one point.
Suchodus
  • Suchodus durobrivensis
Middle-late Callovian Oxford Clay Formation of England, and France A metriorhynchid thalattosuchian. Formerly thought to be a species of Metriorhynchus, it's now recognised as a member of the subfamily Geosaurinae.
Thalattosuchus
  • Thalattosuchus superciliosus
Callovian to Oxfordian Oxford Clay Formation of England, and France A medium-sized metriorhynchid thalattosuchian in the subfamily Metriorhynchinae.
Tyrannoneustes
  • Tyrannoneustes lythrodectikos
Middle-late Callovian Oxford Clay Formation of England A large metriorhynchid thalattosuchian in the subfamily Geosaurinae.

†Marginocephalians and †Ornithopods

Marginocephalia and Ornithopoda of the Callovian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
Agilisaurus Dashanpu Formation, Sichuan, China A 4-foot-long (1.2 m) bipedal herbivore that was built for speed. It was discovered in one of China's many Callovian deposits.
Callovosaurus England A dryosaurid iguanodont, estimated to have been 3.5 meters long
Ferganocephale Kyrgyzstan Possibly an early pachycephalosaurid
Hexinlusaurus Bathonian to Callovian Lower Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan, China A basal neornithischian
Xiaosaurus Bajocian-Callovian Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan, China A basal neornithischian

†Plesiosaurs

Plesiosaurs of the Callovian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
Borealonectes Canada A rhomaleosaurid.
Simolestes vorax
Cryptoclidus England A long-necked plesiosauroid plesiosaur.
Marmornectes England A longirostrine pliosaurid.
Muraenosaurus England A long-necked plesiosauroid plesiosaur that reached over 5 meters in lentgh.
Liopleurodon England A large pliosaurid.
Pachycostasaurus England A pliosaurid. It was most likely a benthic predator.
Peloneustes England A small fast pliosaurid adapted to hunting fast swimming and hard prey like ammonites.
Picrocleidus England A long-necked plesiosauroid plesiosaur.
"Pliosaurus" andrewsi England Originally described as a species of the later living Pliosaurus, it is now considered a more basal pliosaurid.
Simolestes
  • Simolestes vorax
England A cephalopod hunting pliosaurid measuring around 4.5 m in length.
Tricleidus England A long-necked plesiosauroid plesiosaur.

†Sauropods

Sauropods of the Callovian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
Abrosaurus Bathonian or Callovian Shaximiao Formation,
 China
An 11 m (36 ft) macronarian with enlarged nostrils. Known from only a skull.[5]
Bellusaurus late Callovian Shishugou Formation,
 China
A 13 m (43 ft) titanosauriform with a long neck, shoulders higher than hips and a short tail. Klamelisaurus has been thought to be the adult of the genus.[5]
"Bothriospondylus" madagascariensis
Cetiosauriscus Callovian Oxford Clay Formation,
 England
A 15 m (49 ft) cetiosaurid with long arms and a moderately long tail. Known from a partial skeleton once thought to be a diplodocoid.[5]
Chebsaurus Callovian unnamed formation,
 Algeria
A juvenile sauropod known from two incomplete partial skeletons.[5]
Datousaurus Bathonian or Callovian Shaximiao Formation,
 China
A 10 m (33 ft) "cetiosaur" sauropod with a moderately long neck and an shoulder higher than hip. Known from a partial skull and skeletons, a high browser.[5]
Dystrophaeus Callovian or Oxfordian Summerville Formation,
 Utah
A 13 m (43 ft) incompletely known sauropod of uncertain relationships.[5]
Ferganasaurus Callovian Balabansai Formation,
 Kyrgyzstan
An 18 m (59 ft) incompletely known sauropod claimed to have two hand claws.[5]
Jobaria Callovian or Oxfordian Tiouraren Formation,
 Niger
A 16 m (52 ft) macronarian with a narrow head, short neck, moderately long tail and long hand and arm. Originally thought to be from the Early Cretaceous, relationships of Jobaria are uncertain.[5]
Omeisaurus Bathonian or Callovian to Oxfordian Shaximiao Formation,
 China
A 14 to 18 m (46 to 59 ft) mamenchisaurid known from multiple species of differing sizes and ages. All have very long necks.[5]
?Ornithopsis leedsi Originally placed with Ornithopsis hulkei, it is a species that requires its own genus.
Patagosaurus Middle Jurassic Canadon Asfalto Formation,
 Argentina
A 16.5 m (54 ft) "cetiosaur" sauropod with a short, rounded skull, moderately long neck, long tail, and long arms. Known from multiple skeletons and parts of the skull, with a tail allowing rearing for high browsing.[5]
Shunosaurus Bathonian or Callovian Shaximiao Formation,
 China
A 10 m (33 ft) sauropod with a short neck, long legs and a tail with spikes on the end. Known from many skeletons and skulls, a medium-height browser with a defensive tail club.[5]
Zigongosaurus Shaximiao Formation,
 China

†Stegosauria

Stegosaurs of the Callovian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
Huayangosaurus Bathonian to Callovian Lower Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan, China A 4.5 meters in length quadrupedal herbivore with a small skull and a spiked tail. Bore the distinctive double row of plates, rising vertically along its arched back, of all the stegosaurians and two pairs of long spikes extending horizontally near the end of its tail
Lexovisaurus England Traditionally, Lexovisaurus was depicted as having either large spines over the hips or shoulders, with a selection of flat plates and round pointed spines that ran along the back and tail. It was probably about 5 m long.
Loricatosaurus France; England Known from remains previously assigned to Lexovisaurus.

Theropods

Theropods of the Callovian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
Afrovenator Bathonian-Oxfordian Tiourarén Formation, Niger A large megalosaurid theropod reaching 8 meters (26 feet) long, Afrovenator was discovered in what is now Niger. It was also thought to have lived from the Hauterivian to Barremian of the Early Cretaceous
Monolophosaurus
Chuandongocoelurus Bathonian- Callovian Lower Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan, China A predatory 4 meters long basal tetanuran theropod.
Eustreptospondylus A medium-sized (20 feet long) predatory dinosaur that was closely related to Megalosaurus.
Gasosaurus Bathonian- Callovian Lower Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan, China An 11–13 foot predator from China whose discovery was assisted by the petroleum industry. It may be the most basal coelurosaurian yet known, a carnosaur or may even be close to the common ancestor of the two groups.
Kaijiangosaurus Bathonian- Callovian Lower Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan, China A predatory basal tetanuran theropod about 5 meters long. Might be the same as Gasosaurus.

Monolophosaurus

Wucaiwan Member, Shishugou Formation, Xinjiang, China Monolophosaurus was a medium-sized predator that grew to at least 5 meters (16 feet) long. It had an odd, unique crest on its head which ran most of the length of the skull.
Pedopenna Daohugou Beds, Tiaojishan Formation, China A small, feathered, maniraptoran dinosaur from China.
Piatnitzkysaurus Cañadón Asfalto Formation, Argentina Piatnitzkysaurus was 11-13 feet long and was the first megalosaur to live in South America.
Piveteausaurus Marnes de Dives Formation A very large megalosaurid with a possible length of 11 meters.

Spinostropheus

Bathonian-Oxfordian Tiourarén Formation, Niger A medium sized ceratosaurian.

Streptospondylus

Late Callovian Normandy, France It was a medium-sized tetanuran theropod, possibly a megalosauroid, with an estimated length of 6 meters.
Wiehenvenator Pott quarry, Wiehen Hills, Westphalia A very large, derived megalosaurid closely related to Torvosaurus. Though during its original discovery it was speculated to be among the largest theropods to ever live, later estimations concluded more moderate sizes.
Xuanhanosaurus Lower Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan, China A predatory basal tetanuran theropod about 5 meters long. Might be a primitive megalosaur or the most primitive metriacanthosaurid.
Yangchuanosaurus shangyouensis Bathonian- Callovian Upper Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan, China A large allosauroid theropod from China, that could grow over 10 meters long and 3 tonnes of weight . Specimens once assigned to Yangchuanosaurus magnus and the specimen informally called "Szechuanoraptor" most likely belong in this species.

†Ammonitida

Members of the Order Ammonitida are known as ammonitic ammonites. They are distinguished primarily by their suture lines. In ammonitic suture patterns, the lobes and saddles are much subdivided (fluted) and subdivisions are usually rounded instead of saw-toothed. Ammonoids of this type are the most important species from a biostratigraphical point of view. This suture type is characteristic of Jurassic and Cretaceous ammonoids but extends back all the way to the Permian.

Ammonites of the Callovian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
Cadomites
Peltoceras solidum ammonite from the Matmor Formation (Jurassic, Callovian) in Makhtesh Gadol, Israel.
Oecoptychius
Oecotraustes
Oxycerites
Peltoceras

†Belemnites

Belemnites of the Callovian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
Produvalia
Callovian belemnite from the Zohar Formation, northern Israel

Nautiloids

Nautiloids of the Callovian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
Somalinautilus
An illustration of a variety of fossil nautiloids.

Neocoleoids

Neocoleoidea of the Callovian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
Proteroctopus
Proteroctopus ribeti
Pyritized fossil ofRhomboteuthis lehmanifrom Voulte-sur-Rhône, France.
Pyritized fossil of Vampyronassa rhodanica from Voulte-sur-Rhône, France.
Rhomboteuthis
Rhomboteuthis lehmani
Vampyronassa
Vampyronassa rhodanica

References

  1. See for a detailed geologic timescale Gradstein et al. (2004)
  2. http://www.bgs.ac.uk/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?pub=OSBY
  3. Elmi & Babin fig.55.
  4. Salvador, Amos (1987). "Late Triassic‐Jurassic Paleogeography and Origin of Gulf of Mexico Basin" (PDF). AAPG Bulletin. 71 (4): 419‐451. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
  5. Paul, G.S. (2016). The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press. pp. 1–360. ISBN 978-0-691-16766-4.

Literature

  • Elmi, S. & Babin, C.; 2002: Histoire de la Terre, Dunod, Paris (2nd ed.), ISBN 2-10-006631-5. (in French)
  • Gradstein, F.M.; Ogg, J.G. & Smith, A.G.; 2004: A Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University Press.
  • d'Orbigny, A.C.V.M.D.; 1842: Paléontologie française. 1. Terrains oolitiques ou jurassiques. 642 p, Bertrand, Paris. (in French)
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