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Maastricht Formation

Topic: Earth

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Maastricht Formation
Stratigraphic range: Maastrichtian–Danian
Old stone quarry at Kunrade, where the Kunrade Member of the Maastricht Formation outcrops
TypeGeological formation
Sub-unitsMeerssen Member, Nekum Member, Emael Member, Schiepersberg Member, Gronsveld Member, Valkenburg Member and Kunrade Member
UnderliesHouthem Formation
OverliesGulpen Formation
Thickness30–90 m (98–295 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryChalk
OtherMarl, flint
Location
RegionEurope
CountryNetherlands
Belgium
Type section
Named forMaastricht
Named byDumont
Year defined1849

The Maastricht Formation (Dutch: Formatie van Maastricht; abbreviation: MMa), named after the city of Maastricht in the Netherlands, is a geological formation in the Netherlands and Belgium whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous, within 500,000 years of the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary,[1] now dated at 66 million years ago. The formation is part of the Chalk Group and is between 30 and 90 metres (98 and 295 ft) thick. It crops out in southern parts of Dutch and Belgian Limburg and adjacent areas in Germany. It can be found in the subsurface of northern Belgium and southeastern Netherlands, especially in the Campine Basin and Roer Valley Graben. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[2]

Lithology

The Maastricht Formation consists of soft, sandy shallow marine limestone (in Limburg locally called "mergel"), in fact chalk and calcareous arenite. These lithologies locally alternate with thin bands of marl or clay. The lower parts of the formation contain flint concretions. The upper parts can have shellrich layers. Its age is between about 70 and 66 million years, which puts it in the Maastrichtian, a stage that was named after the formation. The top of the formation has been identified as Danian (early Paleocene) in age.[3][4] The type locality is at the ruins of Lichtenberg castle on Mount Saint Peter, Maastricht.

Depositional environment

Two primary environment-types have been described in the Maastricht Formation. The lower Kunrade Chalk representing a shallow, semi-lagoonal area near land of low relief which supplied terrigenous material. The Biofacies of the Kunrade Chalk are dominated by burrowing bivalves and abundant seagrass. In contrast, the upper Maastricht Chalk was deposited further offshore in clean carbonate sands. Periods of non deposition resulted in the lithification of sands forming hardgrounds that supported a diversity of echinoids and corals.[5]

Stratigraphy

The Maastricht Formation was first described by Belgian geologist André Dumont in 1849. The formation is subdivided in seven members, from top to bottom these are the Meerssen Member, Nekum Member, Emael Member, Schiepersberg Member, Gronsveld Member, Valkenburg Member and Kunrade Member. The members are often hard to distinguish.[6]

The Maastricht Formation is overlain by the Paleocene Houthem Formation and was deposited on top of the older Gulpen Formation.

Vertebrate paleofauna

Dinosaurs

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Dinosaurs reported from the Maastricht Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Asteriornis A. maastrichtensis[7] Limb bones and a mostly complete skull A stem-Galloanserae
Interpretive drawing of the Asteriornis fossil
Interpretive drawing of the Asteriornis fossil
Betasuchus B. bredai Geographically present in the Dutch province of Limburg. "Femur."[8] An abelisauroid.[2] Life reconstruction of Betasuchus
Janavis J. finalidens[9] An ichthyornithine Holotype fossil of Janavis finalidens
Megalosaurus M. bredai Geographically present in the Dutch province of Limburg. Reclassified as Betasuchus bredai.[2]
Orthomerus O. dolloi Geographically present in the Dutch and Belgian provinces of Limburg. A dubious hadrosaurid.[2] Mounted skeletal reconstruction of Orthomerus
Indeterminate euhadrosaurian remains Geographically present in the Dutch province of Limburg. A hadrosauroid.[2]
"Unnamed ornithurine" Unnamed An ornithurine.[1][10]
"Unnamed enantiornithine" Unnamed An enantiornithine.[1][10]

Mammals

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Mammals reported from the Maastricht Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images

Maastrichtidelphys

M. meurismeti

Geographically present in the Dutch province of Limburg.

"Right upper molar."

A herpetotheriid.[11]

120px

Mosasaurs

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Mosasaurs reported from the Maastricht Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images

Carinodens

C. belgicus

C. fraasi

Junior synonym of C. belgicus.

Globidens

G. fraasi

Reclassified as Carinodens fraasi

Mosasaurus

M. hoffmannii

Holotype

M. lemonnieri

Plioplatecarpus

P. marshi

Prognathodon P.? saturator
P.? sectorius

Testudines

Testudines reported from the Maastricht Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Allopleuron A. hofmanni
Mounted skeleton of Allopleuron
Mounted skeleton of Allopleuron
Glyptochelone G. suyckerbuyki

Plesiosauria

Bony fish

Bony fish reported from the Maastricht Formation[14][15][16]
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Alaconger A. triquetrus Otoliths A conger eel.
Ampheristus A. sp. Otolith A cusk-eel.
Anomoeodus A. foriri Teeth, tooth plates A pycnodont.
A. fraiponti
A. subclavatus
Apateodus A. corneti Jaws, teeth, articulated skull An ichthyotringid aulopiform.
Archaemacruroides A. vanknippenbergi Otoliths A gadiform of uncertain affinities.
Argentina A. voigti Otoliths A herring smelt.
Argyroberyx A. dentatus Otoliths A beryciform of uncertain affinities.
Belonostomus B. sp. Teeth, jaws An aspidorhynchid.
Beukidercetis[17] B. grandis Skull bones, scutes, scales A dercetid aulopiform.[18]
Caudadercetis C. taverni A dercetid aulopiform.
Centroberyx C. fragilis Otolith A nannygai.
Cimolichthys C. sp. Teeth A cimolichthyid aulopiform.
Cretaserranus C. maastrichtiensis Otoliths A perciform, possibly a serranid.
Cyranichthys C. jagti Articulated specimen, scutes A dercetid aulopiform.
C. sideralis
Dercetis D. triqueter Articulated specimens A dercetid aulopiform.
Enchodus E. faujasi Jaws with teeth An enchodontid aulopiform.
Hoplopteryx H. sp. Articulated specimens A trachichthyiform.
?Ichthyotringa ?I. tavernei Otoliths An ichthyotringid aulopiform.
Ophidercetis O. italiensis Skull bones, scutes A dercetid aulopiform.
Paraulopus P. sp. Otolith A cucumberfish.
Petrodercetis P. bidirectus A dercetid aulopiform.
Pfeilichthys P. pfeili Otolith A holocentriform of uncertain affinities.
Plesiopoma P. otiosa Otoliths A percomorph, possibly a lanternbelly.
Rhinocephalus R. cretaceus Otoliths A hake.
Saurocephalus S. woodwardii Teeth, jaws, vertebrae An ichthyodectiform.
Severnichthys S. sp. Otolith A beardfish.
Sillaginocentrus S. alienus Otolith A holocentriform of uncertain affinities.
?Sparidae indet. Otoliths A potential seabream, but may be another non-percomorph teleost instead.
Tetraodontiformes indet. Scale plates A tetraodontiform.

Invertebrate paleofauna

Invertebrates reported from the Maastricht Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images

Maastrichtiocaris[19]

M. rostratus

Middle Meerssen Member Carapace A cyclidan crustcean, youngest member of the group, has also alternatively been suggested to be a crab.

Plants

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Taxa Species Locality Material Notes Images
Araucaria? A?. sp. Seed-cone scales Identified as Araucaria, in contradiction to reports citing no Araucarian pollen present.[20][21]
Brachyphyllum B. patens Likely belongs to Cheirolepidiaceae.[21]
sp. 1 Belongs to Cheirolepidiaceae.[22]
sp. 2 Possibly conspecific with sp. 1.[22]
Cryptomeriopsis C. eluvialis Belongs to Taxodiaceae.[23]
Cunninghamites C. ubaghsii Likely belongs to Taxodiaceae.[23]
Elatidopsis E. cryptomerioides Belongs to Taxodiaceae.[23]
Mosacaulis M. spinifer Stems and associated foliage, Seagrass convergent.[24]
Pityophyllum P. sp. Pinaceous needles.[23]
Thalassocharis T. bosquetii Seagrass stems and roots.[25]
Thalassotaenia T. debeyi Seagrass leaves, similar to Posidonia.[26]

See also

  • List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Longrich, N.R.; Tokaryk, T.; Field, D.J. (2011). "Mass extinction of birds at the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108 (37): 15253–15257. doi:10.1073/pnas.1110395108. PMID 21914849. Bibcode: 2011PNAS..10815253L. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Cretaceous, Europe)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 588-593. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
  3. ↑ Vellekoop, J., Van Tilborgh, K.H., Van Knippenberg, P., Jagt, J.W.M., Stassen, P., Goolaerts, S. and Speijer, R.P. (2020), Type‐Maastrichtian gastropod faunas show rapid ecosystem recovery following the Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary catastrophe. Palaeontology, 63: 349-367. doi:10.1111/pala.12462
  4. ↑ John W.M. Jagt, Werner M. Felder, Rudi W. Dortangs & Jacques Severijns (1996) The Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary in the Maastrichtian type area (SE Netherlands, NE Belgium); a historical account, Geologie en Mijnbouw 75: 107-118
  5. ↑ Pollock, R. E. (1976-01-01). "The depositional environments of the Maastricht and Kunrade Chalks (Maastrichtian) from the type area of Limburg, Netherlands" (in en). Staringia 3 (1): 16–18. ISSN 0165-2354. https://natuurtijdschriften.nl/pub/568025. 
  6. ↑ See for example: Stratigraphy of the ENCI quarry , by H. Zevenberg
  7. ↑ Field, Daniel J.; Benito, Juan; Chen, Albert; Jagt, John W. M.; Ksepka, Daniel T. (March 2020). "Late Cretaceous neornithine from Europe illuminates the origins of crown birds" (in en). Nature 579 (7799): 397–401. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2096-0. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 32188952. Bibcode: 2020Natur.579..397F. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2096-0. 
  8. ↑ "Table 4.1," in Weishampel, et al. (2004). Page 78.
  9. ↑ Benito, J.; Kuo, P.-C.; Widrig, K. E.; Jagt, J. W. M.; Field, D. J. (2022). "Cretaceous ornithurine supports a neognathous crown bird ancestor". Nature 612 (7938): 100–105. doi:10.1038/s41586-022-05445-y. PMID 36450906. https://zenodo.org/record/6591303. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Dyke, G.J.; Schulp, A.S.; Jagt, J.W.M. (2008). "Bird remains from the Maastrichtian type area (Late Cretaceous)". Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 87 (4): 353–358. doi:10.1017/S0016774600023404. 
  11. ↑ Martin, J.; Case, J.; Jagt, J.W.M.; Schulp, A.S.; Mulder., E. (2005). "A New European Marsupial Indicates a Late Cretaceous High-Latitude Transatlantic Dispersal Route.". Journal of Mammalian Evolution 12 (3): 495–511. doi:10.1007/s10914-005-7330-x. 
  12. ↑ Mulder, Eric; Bardet, Nathalie; Pascal, Godefroit; Jagt, John W. M. (January 2000). "Elasmosaur remains from the Maastrichtian type area, and a review of latest Cretaceous elasmosaurs (Reptilia, Plesiosauroidea)". Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Sciences de la Terre. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286162846_Elasmosaur_remains_from_the_Maastrichtian_type_area_and_a_review_of_latest_cretaceous_elasmosaurs_reptilia_plesiosauroidea. 
  13. ↑ Miedema, Feiko; Schulp, Anne S.; Jagt, John W.M.; Mulder, Eric W.A. (2019). "New plesiosaurid material from the Maastrichtian type area, the Netherlands" (in en). Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 98. doi:10.1017/njg.2019.2. ISSN 0016-7746. https://njgjournal.nl/index.php/njg/article/view/11638. 
  14. ↑ Friedman, M. (2012-01-01). "Ray-finned fishes (Osteichthyes, Actinopterygii) from the type Maastrichtian, the Netherlands and Belgium" (in en). Scripta Geologica. Special Issue 08: 113–142. ISSN 0922-4564. https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/428932. 
  15. ↑ Taverne, Louis; Goolaerts, Stijn (2015-01-01). "The dercetid fishes (Teleostei, Aulopiformes) from the Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) of Belgium and The Netherlands" (in en). Geologica Belgica. ISSN 1374-8505. https://popups.uliege.be/1374-8505/index.php?id=4794. 
  16. ↑ Schwarzhans, Werner W.; Jagt, John W. M. (2021-11-01). "Silicified otoliths from the Maastrichtian type area (Netherlands, Belgium) document early gadiform and perciform fishes during the Late Cretaceous, prior to the K/Pg boundary extinction event". Cretaceous Research 127. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104921. ISSN 0195-6671. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667121001683. 
  17. ↑ Heere, J. J. A.; Wallaard, J. J. W.; De Rijke, M.; Jagt, J. W. M. (2025). "Dercetid fishes from the Maastrichtian type area (Upper Cretaceous) of Belgium and the Netherlands". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 70 (4): 661–697. doi:10.4202/app.01253.2025. 
  18. ↑ Wallaard, Jonathan J. W.; Fraaije, René H. B.; Diependaal, Henk J.; Jagt, John W. M. (2019). "A new species of dercetid (Teleostei, Aulopiformes) from the type Maastrichtian of southern Limburg, the Netherlands" (in en). Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 98: e2. doi:10.1017/njg.2019.1. ISSN 0016-7746. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/netherlands-journal-of-geosciences/article/new-species-of-dercetid-teleostei-aulopiformes-from-the-type-maastrichtian-of-southern-limburg-the-netherlands/8427988B23D425B35178458F74FBCEB3. 
  19. ↑ Fraaije, René H. B.; Schram, Frederick R.; Vonk, Ronald (March 2003). "Maastrichtiocaris rostratus new genus and species, the first Cretaceous cycloid" (in en). Journal of Paleontology 77 (2): 386–388. doi:10.1666/0022-3360(2003)077<0386:MRNGAS>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0022-3360. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-paleontology/article/abs/maastrichtiocaris-rostratus-new-genus-and-species-the-first-cretaceous-cycloid/B120881E6DAFEFF333003E49C0639CAE. 
  20. ↑ Jagt, John (2010-01-01). "Seed-cone scales from the upper Maastrichtian document the last occurrence in Europe of the Southern Hemisphere conifer family Araucariaceae". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. doi:10.1016/J.PALAEO.2010.03.017. https://www.academia.edu/31842343/Seed_cone_scales_from_the_upper_Maastrichtian_document_the_last_occurrence_in_Europe_of_the_Southern_Hemisphere_conifer_family_Araucariaceae. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 van der Ham, R. W. J. M.; van Konijnenburg-van Cittert, J. H. A.; Dortangs, R. W.; Herngreen, G. F. W.; van der Burgh, J. (2003-11-01). "Brachyphyllum patens (Miquel) comb. nov. (Cheirolepidiaceae?): remarkable conifer foliage from the Maastrichtian type area (Late Cretaceous, NE Belgium, SE Netherlands)1". Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 127 (1): 77–97. doi:10.1016/S0034-6667(03)00095-2. ISSN 0034-6667. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0034666703000952. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 van der Ham, Raymond; van Konijnenburg - van Cittert, Johanna (2003-01-01). "Rare conifers from the type area of the Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous, southeast Netherlands)" (in en). Scripta Geologica 126: 111–119. ISSN 0375-7587. https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/219297/. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 Ham, Raymond van der; Cittert, Johanna van Konijnenburg-van; Nieuwenhuis, Eric (2004). "Cunninghamites ubaghsii (Taxodiaceae?) from the Maastrichtian type area (Late Cretaceous, SE Netherlands) rediscovered.". Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique - Bulletin van het Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen 74: 89–96. https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/rbins-publications/bulletin-of-the-royal-belgian-institute-of-natural-sciences-earth-sciences/bulletin-of-the-royal-belgian-institute-of-natural-sciences-earth-sciences/van_der_ham_cunninghamites_2004. 
  24. ↑ van der Ham, Raymond W. J. M.; van Konijnenburg-van Cittert, Johanna H. A.; Kieft, Ben N.; Sachs, Anita Walsmit (2011-11-01). "Mosacaulis spinifer gen. et sp. nov.: An enigmatic Maastrichtian plant". Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 168 (1): 51–67. doi:10.1016/j.revpalbo.2011.09.005. ISSN 0034-6667. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0034666711001370. 
  25. ↑ Jagt, John W. M.; Deckers, Mart; Donovan, Stephen K.; Fraaije, René; Goolaerts, Stijn; van der Ham, Raymond; Hart, Malcolm B.; Jagt-Yazykova, Elena A. et al. (2019-10-01). "Latest Cretaceous storm-generated sea grass accumulations in the Maastrichtian type area, the Netherlands – preliminary observations". Proceedings of the Geologists' Association 130 (5): 590–598. doi:10.1016/j.pgeola.2019.05.003. ISSN 0016-7878. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016787819300458. 
  26. ↑ van der Ham, R. W. J. M.; van Konijnenburg-van Cittert, J. H. A.; Indeherberge, L. (2007-05-01). "Seagrass foliage from the Maastrichtian type area (Maastrichtian, Danian, NE Belgium, SE Netherlands)". Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 144 (3): 301–321. doi:10.1016/j.revpalbo.2006.07.008. ISSN 0034-6667. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0034666706001503. 



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