Talbragar fossil site

The Talbragar fossil site is a paleontological site of Late Jurassic (Tithonian) age in the central west of New South Wales, Australia. It lies about 30 kilometres (19 mi) north-east of the town of Gulgong, and 300 kilometres (190 mi) north-west of Sydney. The site has been known for over a century during which it has been extensively excavated to the point of near exhaustion. It is now registered as a Crown Land Reserve for the preservation of fossils; access is by permit, and the collection of rocks and fossil specimens is prohibited.[2] The 4-hectare (9.9-acre) reserve is listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate.

Talbragar fossil site
New South Wales
Talbragar fossil site
Location in New South Wales
Nearest town or cityGulgong
Coordinates32°10′S 149°48′E
Area4 hectares (9.9 acres)
WebsiteTalbragar fossil site
Footnotes[1]
Designations
Official nameTalbragar Reserve, Wonga Roo Rd, Ulan, NSW, Australia
TypeNatural
Designated28 September 1982
Reference no.465

Fossils

The fossil-bearing rocks are fine-grained siltstones and mudstones that are part of the Purlawaugh Formation. They occur mainly as loose blocks and weathered shales over an area of about 300 by 80 metres (980 by 260 ft), with a thickness of no more than 60 centimetres (24 in). They are thought to be the remnants of sediments from a small freshwater lake, surrounded by forest, which existed about 175 million years ago when Australia was part of Gondwana. The site is the only Jurassic fish site known in New South Wales.[2]

The fossil material consists principally of the fishes that lived in the lake, as well as plants from the forest, whose remains accumulated in the sediments on the lake bed and were preserved. Among the many species discovered are sixteen kinds of plant, eight kinds of fish, several insects and a spider.[2]

Arthropods of the Talbragar fossil site
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Talbragaraneus T. jurassicus Uloborid spider
Protochares P. brevipalpis Hydrophilid beetle
Wongaroo W. amplipectorale Cerophytid beetle
Talbragarocossus T. jurassicus Palaeontinid bug
Beattieellus B. jurassicus Eucnemid beetle
Rhopalomma R. stefaniae Ommatid beetle
Calosargus C. (Calosargus) talbragarensis Archisargid fly
Gulgonga G. beattiei Praeaulacid wasp
Juroglypholoma J. talbragarense Rove beetle
Protachinus P. minor Rove beetle
Talbragarus T. averyi Nemonychid weevil
Austroprotolindenia A. jurassica Protolindeniid dragonfly

References
  1. "Talbragar Reserve, Wonga Roo Rd, Ulan, NSW, Australia (Place ID 465)". Australian Heritage Database. Department of the Environment. 28 September 1982. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  2. "Talbragar". Fossil sites of Australia. Australian Museum. 22 September 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2011.


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